Cal Thomas: Thankful to whom and for what?
In a thought-provoking commentary, Cal Thomas reflects on the evolving language and cultural significance surrounding the expression of gratitude, particularly during the Thanksgiving holiday. He highlights a notable shift in responses to “thank you,” where traditional replies like “you’re welcome” have been replaced by the more casual “no problem,” prompting questions about the implications of such phrases. Thomas suggests that this change reflects a broader trend where Thanksgiving, originally rooted in gratitude and reflection, has become overshadowed by the consumerism of the Christmas season. He laments the commercialization of Thanksgiving, which has been reduced to a mere prelude to holiday shopping, with Black Friday promotions starting as early as Halloween, thus diminishing the unique significance of the holiday itself.
Thomas draws on historical context to emphasize the original intent behind Thanksgiving, citing President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation that established the holiday as a national observance of gratitude. In the wake of the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln urged Americans to acknowledge their blessings while also expressing penitence for their national shortcomings. This call for humility and reflection is contrasted with contemporary attitudes, where gratitude has become a fleeting sentiment rather than a profound acknowledgment of divine providence. Thomas challenges readers to reconsider their own expressions of thanks and the underlying attitudes of humility and repentance that should accompany them. He advocates for a return to the roots of Thanksgiving, suggesting that a “heaping serving of humble pie” would be a fitting addition to modern celebrations, encouraging a deeper reflection on the blessings we often take for granted.
Through this commentary, Thomas not only critiques the trivialization of Thanksgiving but also invites readers to engage in a more meaningful practice of gratitude, one that recognizes both the gifts received and the need for humility in the face of societal flaws. As Thanksgiving approaches, he urges a collective introspection on our values and the way we express thankfulness, proposing that true gratitude involves both recognition and repentance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewmefM76XfU
Among my growing list of improper uses of the English language is the response I get when telling a restaurant server or anyone else “thank you.” The usual response has been for as long as I remember, “you’re welcome.” For the young, especially, it has become “no problem.”
Why would thanking someone for a service or kindness performed be considered a problem? What does that even mean?
Thanksgiving, which mythically began when the Pilgrims and early settlers thanked God for His “many blessings,” despite their difficult circumstances, is now a small bump in the road on the way to the annual conspicuous consumption called Christmas. The airlines are thankful because of heavy travel that leads to large profits. Thanksgiving, as well as approaching Christmas, have lost their unique status – at least among secularist marketers – and have now been blended into “the holidays.” That’s a problem.
There once was a time – and I still remember it – when most of the Christmas rush began after Thanksgiving. Now we have Black Friday beginning in some TV ads before Halloween. Thanksgiving has taken a back seat to Christmas commercialism. It is now a one-day stuffing, not just of the turkey, but of ourselves, plus a couple of football games.
While the early settlers and Pilgrims were known for thanking God for His blessings, it wasn’t until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday. In hisÂ
proclamation
 declaring the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving, Lincoln said this about the blessings Americans had received:
“To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and even soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.”
The proclamation was issued after the Battle of Gettysburg, a bloody conflict in the Civil War, a war which was still not over. If a nation in the midst of such a great internal struggle could find things to be thankful for, what about us? In our rush to consume, do we any longer regard God as the source of our undeserved blessings?
Something even more profound came later in the proclamation. Speaking to his fellow citizens, Lincoln wrote:
“I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience.”
When was the last time you heard a national leader recommend penitence? The scriptures are clear … nothing gets God’s attention quite like repentance. It is then His mercy flows. When he first ran for president in 2016, I asked Donald Trump if he had ever felt the need to ask for forgiveness, or repent. He said “No. Perhaps someday I will.”
God once said for the sake of 10 righteous people He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Like the people in those ancient cities, we have many sins for which we should repent. I’m not exactly sure how God will respond as His people pray – seeking His forgiveness for our national sins. But I do know that it is an appropriate attitude as we gather, and a long-standing tradition to reintroduce around our table.
Perhaps a heaping serving of humble pie should also be on today’s Thanksgiving menu.
Readers may email Cal Thomas atÂ
tcaeditors@tribpub.com
. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).
