A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Thanksgiving 2023

For over a decade now, late on Thanksgiving day, I've been pleased to post this piece by teacher, singer, poet and friend, John Fitzsimmons - along with his reading of it accompanied by the sound of his guitar.

Thanksgiving

I am surprised sometimes
by the suddenness of November:
beauty abruptly shed
to a common nakedness--
grasses deadened
by hoarfrost,
persistent memories
of people I've lost.

It is left to those of us
dressed in the hard
barky skin of experience
to insist on a decorum
that rises to the greatness
of a true Thanksgiving.

This is not a game
against a badly scheduled team,
an uneven match on an uneven pitch.

This is Life.
This is Life.
This is Life.

Not politely mumbled phrases,
murmured with a practiced and meticulous earnestness.

Thanksgiving was born a breech-birth,
a screaming appreciation for being alive--
for not being one of the many
who didn't make it--
who couldn't moil through
another hardscrabble year
on tubers and scarce fowl.

Thanksgiving is for being you.
There are no thanks without you.

You are the power of hopeful promise;
you are the balky soil turning upon itself;
you are bursting forth in your experience.

You are not the person next to you--
not an image or an expectation.
You are the infinite and eternal you--
blessed, and loved, and consoled
by the utter commonness
and community of our souls.

We cry and we're held.
We love and we hold.

We are the harvest of God,
constantly renewed,
constantly awakened
to a new thanksgiving.

Protect us, Lord, this Thanksgiving night,
keep vigil while we fall asleep,
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Day Is Done by the Notre Dame Folk Choir

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

1. Day is done, but love unfailing dwells ever here.
Shadows fall, but hope prevailing, calms ev'ry fear.
Loving Father, none forsaking,
Take our hearts, of love's own making,
Watch our sleeping, guard our waking,
Be always near.

2. Dark descends, but light unending shines through our night;
You are with us, ever lending new strength to sight:
One in love, your truth confessing,
One in hope of heaven's blessing,
May we see, in love's possessing,
Love's endless light!

3. Eyes will close, but you, unsleeping, watch by our side
Death may come, in love's safekeeping still we abide.
God of love, all evil quelling
Sin forgiving, fear dispelling
Stay with us, our hearts indwelling,
This eventide.