Thanksgiving
“O give thanks to the Lord, for God is good;
the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.”
--An ancient psalm of the Hebrew people
The day after Thanksgiving is here. Throughout the week, we’ve focused on giving thanks and praise to God and to others. It is good to remember that hearty thanks and praise should always include a horizontal and a vertical dimension. The above verse from Psalm 107 is an excellent example of the vertical dimension of praise. Sadly, sometimes our thanks and praise never includes a vertical dimension. Thomas Merton wrote this observation in Praying the Psalms:
“Praise is cheap today. Everything is praised.
Soap, beer, toothpaste, …movie stars, the latest gadgets
…everything is constantly being praised.
And, since everything is praised with the
official hollow enthusiasm of a radio announcer,
it turns out in the end that nothing is praised.”
Merton made this observation 53 years ago. It appears we are having trouble getting the picture. True and lasting praise needs both dimensions. As we move away from our day set aside for thanksgiving and praise, we will move toward the various sacred holidays of faith-filled people. May you find opportunities to extend your praise and thanks both horizontally and vertically.
--Ben Keckler
11.27.09
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