Happy Thanksgiving and Blessed Holiday/Nativity Season!

Dearest Spiritual ‘Ohana,
I wish all a Happy Thanksgiving and Joyous Holiday/Nativity Season!

The Holiday Season begins with the celebration of Thanksgiving. There are vibes of warmth and fuzzy feelings that come our way. We gather with loved ones, family and friends and enjoy the company, the parade perhaps, the special holiday shows, the football games, and the feasting of traditional Thanksgiving food and dessert. But for those who have suffered from loss or face loneliness, these times may enhance the grief and sadness felt.

As Orthodox Christians, in the United States, we are allowed, through economy, to break the Nativity Fast for the day of Thanksgiving, for this day of celebration, if we freely choose to or not. But most importantly, we are called to make this day a day to give thanks to God and to be grateful for all the blessings we have been given.

Here is a list/outline of what we may focus on in celebrating Thanksgiving, that would allow for a fulfilling celebration, rather than the focus being on self-indulgence.

Give thanks to God for His abundant blessings – life, health, family, and faith.  God has given us life, breathing into our bodies a soul. Thank God that He has given us breathe to
reach the current day. If we have good health, give thanks. If our health is not so good, take the challenge and opportunity to turn and lean on God to have Him be with us. Let us be grateful for the family we have and enjoy being them. Also be thankful for being a part of the Church, as members of Christ’s Body.

Express gratitude for the gift of the Church and the guidance of the Holy Fathers. The Church is a vital part of our “synergy” with God and one another. It is a Spiritual Hospital through which God restores our wholeness.  Through Apostolic Succession, we have the Saints and Holy Fathers that are in communion with us as the “Church Triumphant.” They ceaselessly pray for us, and have left us with a map, through their virtue and wisdom, to lead us to God and how to maneuver through our spiritual battles and challenges.

Remember the poor and those in need, offering prayers and acts of charity.  In the world, there is much suffering. In helping others, especially those in need, we build up
treasures in Heaven for ourselves. In each human being, we are called to see Christ in everyone, but mostespecially the suffering. Elder Joseph the Hesychast says this: "Send your treasures to the heavenly storage room. Deposit your wealth in God’s Bank, distributing it to the poor, the orphans and the widows, so that you can receive a million times more in the Second Coming of Christ."

Acknowledge God’s providence in all circumstances, both joyful and challenging. In life, we face many dynamics. We have the joys, but also, inevitably face challenges. God allows
challenges as opportunities to know Him and to commune with Him.

Offer thanksgiving for the beauty of creation and the opportunity to be stewards of it.  Despite all the distractions we face in the modern world, we can take the time to marvel and be thankful for the beauty of God’s creation. Look all around you, especially here in Hawaii. We are surrounded with the Ocean. The mountains are breath-taking, especially the Ko’olau Mountains on Oahu. On Hawai’i Island, if you ever travel to the top of Maunakea, on a moonless night, you can see the vast number of stars in the sky. Look at
the beauty of each human being and marvel how God has created every person to be unique and unrepeatable, made in His own Image and Likeness.

Pray for peace and unity in our homes, communities, and the world.  The world would be Paradise if we could see each other as human beings, made in God’s Image and Likeness. In the Litanies of our services, we pray for peace. Let us each be part of the change that brings peace, by being instruments of God’s Love to one another.

Commit to living a life of gratitude daily, not only on Thanksgiving. Everyday of our lives is meant to be a day of gratitude and thanksgiving to God and all the multitude of Blessings God has bestowed on us.

I am grateful to God for having the opportunity and blessing to serve you, as your priest, for the past 12 years.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING & MANY BLESSINGS
FOR A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON!
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Alexander