[MpNelQTU]

Hello everyone,

I hope this is the right place to ask my question. Here in the USA where I live we will be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday. While this isn't an Orthodox feast day, thankfulness is a virtue that is given great importance and indeed is central to our lives as Christians. As we know, Eucharist essentially means Thanksgiving and this is something we should constantly strive to cultivate in ourselves. With this in mind, I really want to start a family tradition of reading from the Fathers on this subject before having our Thanksgiving meal so that we can remember what this holiday was started for and use it to build up our faith as a family. This brings me to my question. Can someone suggest a homily or writing that they have found particularly meaningful on this subject and possibly an online resource for finding it since I won't have time to be buying any books in the next few days?

I would also like to share a few things that I'm particularly thankful for this year and would love to hear from others as well. First and foremost, my wife and I were received into the Orthodox Church just a few weeks ago after about a year and a half of attending and learning about the faith. Going along with this, I am thankful for the forgiveness and new life I have been given and all that goes along with it. I am also thankful because my wife and I are pregnant with our first child and we couldn't be more excited. I could list many more things that I'm thankful for but these two definitely top my list. May God bless and multiply you all and may we all remember to give thanks to God for the countless blessings and mercies we receive from Him.

Your servant,
James (Robert) Crosby

[trilochana.nejman]

I am thankful for beautiful converts who teach me, each and every day, that Orthodoxy is to be cherished and nurtured ...

[monologue]

How is this from St. Basil the Great? Or this from Fr. Schmemann? Or from our own archives.


Paul

[nerohedfrs]

This from my favorite blogger; Fr. James Early. He is one of my priests.

[sallythetolly]

Thank you very much for the references. I had a chance to read through St. Basil the Great's homily last night and it was as beautiful and convicting as I would expect from him. It's definitely a powerful message in the self-indulgent times and culture we live in. I haven't had a chance to read through the other sites you linked yet but I look forward to it. God bless.

your servant,
James