One of the traditions of the Thanksgiving Holiday is the understanding of offering grace or giving thanks for what you have. Some are easy and nondenominational:
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and security of the night,
For condition and food,
For love and friends,
For all Thy goodness sends.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
Others are much more complex and comprise more emotion:
Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,
All praise is Yours, all glory, honor and blessings.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong;
no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.
We praise You, Lord, for all Your creatures,
especially for Brother Sun,
who is the day straight through whom You give us light.
And he is gorgeous and radiant with great splendor,
of You Most High, he bears your likeness.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars,
in the heavens you have made them bright, high-priced and fair.
We praise You, Lord, for Brothers Wind and Air,
fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Water,
so useful, humble, high-priced and pure.
We praise You, Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night.
He is beautiful, playful, robust, and strong.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth,
who sustains us
with her fruits, colored flowers, and herbs.
We praise You, Lord, for those who pardon,
for love of You bear sickness and trial.
Blessed are those who undergo in peace,
by You Most High, they will be crowned.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in their sins!
Blessed are those that She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm.
We praise and bless You, Lord, and give You thanks,
and serve You in all humility.
-St. Francis of Assisi
Ultimately, however, the basic understanding of offering a Thanksgiving Grace remains the same regardless of religious and ethnic backgrounds in that the purpose is to write back the blessings that you have received throughout your life (or the past year).
O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be involved adequate to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.
- Samuel F. Pugh
