11/27/2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-morning-at-the-office-an-episcopal-morning-prayer-podcast/id1488383775
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Thanksgiving Day, Year C, RCL 2025
The Rev. Kim A. Hobby
Christ Church Episcopal, South Pittsburg, TN
Deuteronomy 26:1-11 First Fruits and Tithes
Psalm 100 BCP p. 729 All Lands Summoned to Praise God
Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord Always!
John 6:25-35 The Bread from Heaven
I have two gallon size zip lock bags in the frig – each full of ripe roma tomatoes, waiting to be transformed into tomato sauce. These aren’t the “first fruits” of my summer labors – I gave all of those to Amie – along with some of my canning jars – especially when I realized I didn’t have the knowledge, time, or equipment to make tomato sauce and can it. I am thankful for the beautiful jars of tomato sauce she gave me after all her efforts! Maybe the rest of my green tomatoes will ripen by this weekend so I can try making and canning tomato sauce after all.
The early Israelites didn’t have the luxury of staying put long enough to plant gardens when they were nomads in the wilderness. And I can just imagine the thoughts they may have had at giving the “first fruits” of their labors to God when they settled in Canaan. Is this enough for God? Will there be enough to feed my family for the year to come? Should I harvest the seeds from these first fruits to plant next year - or should I take the seed from future plants? And then, they remember all they’ve been through with God – and their thoughts of worry begin to fade as they begin to celebrate the harvest at hand with their neighbors.
They are joyful – singing as they serve the Lord with gladness. They rejoice in their own incarnation in God’s image for God’s purpose….as they give thanks for God’s goodness, faithfulness, and abundant providence. This is as it should be.
But this holiday is about more than just harvesting and eating food. The bread that we eat and the wine that we drink in THE Great Thanksgiving Feast of the Eucharist points to something bigger than a day we carve the turkey. It is a reminder to not take God, food, or love for granted - for “mankind cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Jesus says in our gospel reading for today that he is “the bread of life,” that when consumed satisfies our deepest hungers, and quenches our deepest thirst. That’s a mighty big promise; I wonder what it would feel like for the whole world to wake up on Thanksgiving morning - fully satisfied with what we have – and give thanks to God? That could really change the world, if you think about it. Let’s be those people who actually do this tomorrow on Thanksgiving Day – giving thanks to God for all our blessings, and sharing them with others without fear of loss. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be more than just proclamation of God’s goodness; but also a new reality here on earth as it is in heaven, in Christ’s Name. Amen.
Christianity Podcast · Updated Daily · Daily Morning Prayer from The Book of Common Prayer 1979
