Sacramental Meal
Thanksgiving dinner is a sacramental occasion. I do not mean that in the technical, doctrinal way, but, in my experience, what takes place on the fourth Thursday of November contains a deeper meaning than the meal itself. Like the sacraments, it not only symbolizes that deeper spiritual reality, but it actually conveys that reality to those who take part.
In our religious tradition, we believe that Holy Communion and Baptism not only remind us of God’s saving love but actually impart to us an experience of that love. In Communion, the bread and wine that are received, the words that are spoken, and the congregation that has assembled are the means by which we receive the grace of God in the Body and Blood of Christ, through which we enjoy forgiveness of our sins, union with God and one another, and a foretaste of the heavenly banquet. In Baptism, the water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity are the means by which we are untied with Christ in his death and resurrection and born into the family of God as God’s forgiven, Holy-Spirit-filled.
As true sacraments of the church, these are understood to be failsafe means by which God’s grace is received. There is nothing we can do to mess them up. The Thanksgiving meal, on the other hand, may not qualify as a “sure and certain means” by which the grace of the holiday is conveyed—just ask anyone who has suffered through a rancorous political debate at the table—but, in most of our households, it is a ritual—a liturgy—that allows everyone at the table to experience gratitude, togetherness, and love that transcend whatever else might seek to pull us apart.
Our challenge this year is to remember the difference between the symbols of the occasion and the deeper realities to which those symbols point. Last week, in our monthly EYC Zoom gatherings, Emma asked a question of the participants that was both playful and piercing: which item at the Thanksgiving meal most closely represents you and your personality? A few of us had a hard time distinguishing between our favorite dishes and the dishes that embody us, but, as the conversation went on, we found ourselves discussing not only the things on the table but what they represent to us, why they are important, and how they help us experience the fullness of the holiday.
What will be missing from your table this year? Who will be missing from your table this year? The need to keep each other safe is forcing us to give up in-person fellowship with anyone but our immediate families. The grief we hold from the loss of those who have died is especially sharp as we are unable to gather with our loved ones to remember them. Can Thanksgiving really be Thanksgiving if Grandma is not there to bake her apple pie? Will Thanksgiving be Thanksgiving if we are sitting at home alone this year or sharing a meal awkwardly on Zoom? What good is it to celebrate a holiday if we are unable to wrap our arms around those we love the most?
For some of us, what is missing may be too much for us to overcome at the Thanksgiving table. Others, though, may find that the spirit of this holiday—the gratitude, togetherness, and love that the Thanksgiving ritual is supposed to convey—can be experienced even if we have takeout instead of turkey or even if we tell stories over the phone instead of at the table. Almost none of us is preparing for Thanksgiving the way we usually do. Even if so much is different, what can remain the same? Despite all that may be missing, how can you know and feel the deeper reality that this Thursday points us to? What new ways, new foods, new connections, or new traditions might you use to pursue what matters most this time of year?
Yours Faithfully,
Evan