November 08 Kandili
A MESSAGE FROM FATHER LOU
THE CIRCLE OF THANKSGIVING
“Do not refuse a request to pray for the soul of another, even when you yourself lack the gift of prayer. For often the very faith of the person making the request will evoke the saving contrition of the one who is to offer the prayer.” St John Climacus
The above quotation is intriguing indeed. It displays our interdependence upon one another, the circular nature of grace, of love, of life. St. John essentially encourages us to pray for another – either one who is alive or one who has passed away – at the request of a third person, even if we are not very good at praying noting that the faith of that third person will help the prayer be effectual and salvific. It’s not only the faith of the one offering the prayer that’s important, but in this case the faith of the one requesting that the prayer be made that is essential. This example serves in a beautiful way to illustrate the communal dimension of prayer and of life. We have of course God, the One we are praying to, then we have the person we are praying for, then we have ourselves. But it doesn’t stop here. We also have the person making the request. So it’s not just God, another and me. It is God, another , then another and me – making a community of believers as it were, in God. Furthermore my prayer is strengthened by the faith of another. In a simply profound way, St. John Climacus teaches us about the true nature of thanksgiving. There is Grace, Life itself and gifts of giving that come to us from God and as we commune with one another and pray for another, we do so in thanks, giving God His due honor and asking Him for more blessings. This circular activity amongst us as humans and between us and God is as natural as breathing. We inhale of God’s love and exhale in thanks for that love, doing so not only as individuals, but also as community, depending on one another. The Greek word for thanksgiving is “efharistia,” which is translated into English, eucharist. It is the Holy Communion between God and humans and humans and God. The next time you are in the Divine Liturgy, may St. John’s teaching serve to bring a deeper meaning to your and our Holy Communion. This Thanksgiving Day, as you are gathered around your table with family and friends, may you remember more profoundly the great gifts given to us by God and our need to share of those gifts with others as an offering of thanks and love to God. HAVE A HAPPY AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING!In Christ, Fr Lou