Saturday, November 21, 2009

The Metaphysics of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day traditionally is a time for families and friends to get together to overeat and overdose on football. But for many, it is a day of service to others through food banks, feed the hungry programs, visits and calls. We at Decatur Unity Church will be delivering food and cold weather clothing to a local shelter this week.

Thanks-giving is an opportunity for each of us to consciously, and with purpose, give thanks by giving back to the family of God. As Joel Goldsmith wrote in Leave Your Nets:

There is no kingdom of heaven
except on earth,
so there is no way to achieve heaven
except through achieving it on earth;
and the only way to achieve heaven on earth
is to serve God on earth,
and the only way to serve God on earth
is to serve man in the realization
of God as man's real being.


Unity uses the metaphysical approach to understanding the deeper meanings in life and living through study and prayer. Jesus taught by word and by example often using phrases such as he who has ears to here, let him hear. Jesus sought God's presence through prayer and always gave thanks.

Thanksgiving is a state of consciousness and the more open we are to giving thanks, the more receptive we are to the Kingdom of God and all it's blessings. Every blessing we give, flows through our hearts and minds and then into the world--it isn't possible to give a blessing without being the blessing.

Rev. Claudia Naylor