Giving Thanks

"Everyone capable of giving thanks is capable of salvation."
Fr. Alexander Schmemann

Nothing is more essential to human living than the giving of thanks. According to the Apostle Paul, it is one of the very purposes for which we were created (Romans 1:21 St. Paul here upbraids us for our failure to give thanks).

Much of our understanding of thanksgiving today is deeply tied to a modern, shallow, understanding of psychology and thinks only of how we “feel” about something.

To give thanks, however, is far deeper, reaching to the very core of our being. It is a recognition from the depths of our hearts that what we have is not of our own creation (including our own life) and that all that we have is not properly enjoyed or used unless and until it is enjoyed and used with deep thanksgiving towards the One who gave us everything.

We are “eucharistic, doxological beings.” In less theological terms (or in terms translated into plain English) we are beings who are created to give thanks (”eucharistic”) and glory (”doxological”) to God.

Read the whole post here.

H/T to: Father Stephen over at Glory to God for All Things