On this Thanksgiving Day, as our country and our world continue to climb out of this pandemic, which has gone on far too long, what does “giving thanks” look like? St. Paul gave us all a model called the paradox of gratitude. Why a paradox? And how can a true and personal story of the actions of a small Mennonite Community, post Hurricane Agnes, shed some light on how we are called to actively live a life of gratitude? Check it out…

1. 1 Deacon Jim Knipper
25 November 2021 Thanksgiving Day Princeton, NJ
Good morning to everyone physically present here as well as all of you who are joining us in prayer over our live
stream feed…it is good to have you all with us. On behalf of Fr. Miguel, Fr. Carlo, Deacon Frank, and the entire
Staff at St. Paul’s – know how thankful we are for you and your family…holding you all in our prayers – as we
continue to restore our lives and our church, as we slowly come out of the COVID pandemic. So, we gather today,
with grateful hearts, as many of us will finally be able to, once again, expand our dining tables and gather around
our extended families… giving thanks for all the blessings that we have.
But what does “giving thanks” look like for each of us? For some it is associated with some form of quid-pro-quo.
That our gratitude is often seen as the response for getting something tangible, something physical – something
that we want. And if we get what we want, most often we give thanks. The problem with that form of ‘gratitude’ is
that it is mostly ego centered. I wanted. I got. I gave thanks. And while, there is nothing necessarily wrong with
that model, I think it does little to promote long-term wholeness and holiness.
And I think this is what Paul was getting at when he was writing to the congregation that he established in Philippi.
But when Paul first arrived in this city, things did not start out well for him - for his teachings threatened the status
quo of those rooted in power, prestige and possessions: people focused on getting what they wanted. In turn, Paul
was beaten, flogged and shackled in prison.
But how did he respond to this adversity and persecution? Paul sang joyful praise and gave thanks to God. His
message to his jailers and those around him was not to be afraid of your faith and of what others think - but to give
thanks for God’s presence wherever you may be – even sitting in a jail cell.
Actually, it was Paul’s actions, that attitude of joy, and gratitude for life that led to his release. Paul’s message was
soon accepted by the Philippians and led to many conversions. And after 18 months he continued his missionary
journey but years later found himself back in prison – this time in Rome awaiting his execution. Nearing the end of
his life, chained, battered and broken, Paul writes to the community he loves so much back at Phillipi, with the
words we heard in this morning’s second reading, encouraging them to do - what else, but “Rejoice!” and
instructing them on what clearly seems to be a “paradox of gratitude.”
Why a paradox? Because versus this sense of gratitude for giving thanks for what “I” have or what I wanted –
Paul’s constant instruction is for a model of gratitude that is ‘other’ centered. He says, “Your kindness should be
known to all.” His reason? Because God dwells within each and every one of us – without exception…even those
family members who may now safely be coming over for dinner later today but can drive you a bit nuts!
You see, Paul’s model of gratitude is not ego centered – rather it is all about participation. It is not about me, but
about you. It is not about what I want, but about what others need. It is not about how much I have, but what others
don’t. We need to understand that our life is not about us – but we are about life. And once we get that – we allow
ourselves to be a conduit of God’s love – filled with deep gratitude.
An example being…on Thursday, June 22, 1972, Hurricane Agnes brought destruction through the entire east
coast. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey over 43,000 homes were destroyed or damaged as heavy rains forced the
major rivers to overflow their banks as never before. One of the homes damaged belonged to a catholic family in
the small town of Annville, PA, just outside of Hershey. A local dam gave way that brought water gushing around
and into their home, flash flooding the basement and most of the first floor.

2. 2 Deacon Jim Knipper
The six children, ages 5 to 18 and their parents got out of the house just in time to save their lives. By next morning
the waters had receded leaving inches of mud and destruction of much of what they had. Since it would be another
seven years before FEMA was established, families like this, in need, had little support. For over a month the family
relied on neighbors for housing and food assistance, during which time they tackled the daunting task of cleaning
up the mud, the mold and the mess.
But on that first Sunday after the storm, a half hour away from their home, the Mennonite Community, safe from all
the destruction, was gathering for their services. As they prayed for all those suffering from the hurricane, they
decided that action was needed more than their prayers. So halfway through the service a group of men piled into a
few trucks and soon one of them just happened to arrive at this Annville home. The Mennonites did not know this
family, they did not say much, they came with all that they needed, and they went to work until late in the night –
and then left, never to be seen again.
My wife and her family have never forgotten the generosity they received that summer, but certainly have never
forgotten the men who arrived that one day because they understood the paradox of gratitude and thus were a
conduit of God’s love. Their actions that day would have a lasting impact on how my wife’s family would go on to
help others in the years ahead.
You see, each of us are invited to live Paul’s participatory message of gratitude, when he says: “Keep doing what
you have learned and received and heard and seen in me.” For when we let go of our egos (or what Paul refers to
as flesh) we lose our focus on our wants, our needs and our desires...which allows us to let go of our cracks, our
blemishes, and our faults. We then no longer spend our lives on waiting to receive all that we want or feel that is
owed to us.
For all we are called to do is to be part of this One Life…this Eternal Flow of God, where we do not have to have
the right answer, we don’t have to straighten everything out, we don’t have to fix those around us. We just have to
participate! And it is in living a life of participation that allows us to be aware and grateful for the mutual indwelling
that Paul refers to.
Then things like rejoicing, gratitude and compassion become as natural as the breaths that we take. By Paul writing
at least five letters from prison, he makes the point that there are no bars, no circumstances, no addictions, and no
hurdles that we face that are so immense which prevent the Spirit from bringing gracious light and life into our lives.
Thus, even with all kinds of adversity that we are witnessing today in our lives and in this world, Paul teaches us
this: that the joy and energy and life behind each of our journeys toward wholeness and holiness needs to be filled
with immense gratitude for the unconditional love of the inner presence of God that each of us already have. And
that, my sisters and brothers, is something we can all rejoice and give thanks for this day and always.
May you and your family be filled with many blessings for a safe, happy and grateful Thanksgiving.