Cal Thomas: Thankful to whom and for what?
In a thought-provoking commentary, Cal Thomas reflects on the evolving nature of gratitude and the significance of Thanksgiving in contemporary society. He begins by addressing the casual responses to expressions of thanks, particularly the increasingly common phrase “no problem,” which he questions. This shift in language raises a larger concern about how gratitude is perceived in today’s fast-paced world. Thomas argues that the essence of Thanksgiving, originally rooted in recognizing divine blessings amid hardship, has been overshadowed by the commercial frenzy of the holiday season, particularly Christmas. He notes that Thanksgiving has become a fleeting moment in the consumer calendar, often reduced to a mere prelude to the more commercially celebrated Christmas.
Historically, Thanksgiving was solidified as a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, a time when the nation was grappling with the Civil War’s devastation. Lincoln’s proclamation emphasized the importance of recognizing and giving thanks for blessings, even amid turmoil. He urged Americans to reflect on their national shortcomings and seek penitence, a call that seems increasingly relevant today. Thomas juxtaposes Lincoln’s message of gratitude and humility with the modern tendency to overlook deeper spiritual reflections in favor of materialistic pursuits. He challenges readers to consider the true meaning of Thanksgiving, urging a return to the humility and gratitude that the holiday was meant to embody.
As we gather around our tables this Thanksgiving, Thomas suggests that we should not only celebrate our bounties but also engage in a moment of introspection and repentance for our collective shortcomings. He advocates for a cultural shift back to the roots of Thanksgiving, where gratitude is not just a polite response but a profound acknowledgment of the blessings we often take for granted. In doing so, he invites readers to reconsider their attitudes towards gratitude and the significance of the holiday, perhaps even suggesting that a serving of “humble pie” would be a fitting addition to today’s Thanksgiving menu.
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 his
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 at
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).
