​Dearly Beloved,
 
"We thank you, Christ our God, for you have satisfied us with earthly gifts. Do not deprive us of your heavenly kingdom, but as you, O Savior, came among your disciples and gave them peace, come among us also and save us."
 
This prayer of thanksgiving is offered at the close of a meal in the Orthodox Tradition. Placing a word of thanks at the end of a meal, whether an elaborate feast such as that we will have on Thanksgiving Day or a simple supper with family or friends that we have most other days reminds us that all we have on this earth is a gift of the Most High God.
 
We have been blessed with many earthly gifts for which we should offer thanks to God, not just on one day of the year, but every day. Thanksgiving Day is a distinctively American holiday, and, without being overly nationalistic about it, one that sets us apart from other nations. Setting aside a day to give thanks entered our national consciousness from the very beginning. In 1777, the fledgling American nation proclaimed a day of thanksgiving so "that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor." As Orthodox Christians we will offer our words of thanks to the Triune God. But all Americans will offer a moment of thanks, no matter what religion they profess.
 
The second phrase of the prayer, "Do not deprive us of your heavenly kingdom," invites us to reflect on the purpose of these gifts: our entry into God's kingdom. Isn't this wonderful? Our loving and gracious God has given us the means to enter into a relationship with Himself and become citizens of His eternal and heavenly Kingdom. As the Psalmist says, "When you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things." The Lord's hand is continually open, providing us with all that we need, and for this reason, we offer our continual thanks.
 
Because the Lord has been so gracious and generous to us, our response should be to be gracious and generous to those around us. This generosity can overflow into our parishes and communities. This is the work of the good steward, creating and sharing abundance, so that the Kingdom of God can be within the reach of all. We are those stewards, the instruments of God's kingdom, "distributing to all, as any have need" (cf Acts of the Apostles 2:45).
 
How will we share our abundance this Thanksgiving holiday? Our Thanksgiving tables will be overladen so that our families and friends can celebrate the feast. Extending an invitation and opening our homes to those without a place to go is a first step. All of our parishes have members who live alone or far from family that we can invite. Offering even a few hours of the day to work among the poor or the homeless can make a difference. There are food banks and shelters that need our help, not just on Thanksgiving but year round. Charitable giving to support the many ministries of our Church and community that serve those in need provides them with the financial resources they need. All are acts of thanksgiving in response to what God has already done for us.
 
May our Lord grant to you and your loved ones a Blessed, Peaceful and joyous Thanksgiving holiday.
 
With Love in Christ,
 
@Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco

Archbishop Averky of Syracuse, of blessed memory, once said of converts, "they are like envelopes, they have a tendency to come unglued".

​Many a convert, once they've embraced the Orthodox Faith, mistakenly given themselves over to a zealotry that is without any form of temperance. They, in their excitement at having found "The True Faith", almost over night take on external formula that seems more "spiritual", and makes them feel they are on the fast track to sainthood.

They'll notice when another parishioner seems careless in the making of the sign of the cross, all the while demonstrating for all around them, the proper way. Making sweeping signs of the cross that are done in such a way as to be almost a caricature, they follow up with profound bows, distracting fellow worshipers in the process. They make a production of the fast periods, making sure their non-Orthodox family and friends know the seriousness of the Orthodox fasting periods. Their icon corners can be larger than the pious old woman who has been Orthodox all her life, and who is known for the sanctity of her tender care for others.

These people become spiritual gluttons, while taking their new found faith into a sensuality and pride that is miles from the holiness that comes from years of struggle. Their public displays of Orthodox, often distractions for fellow worshipers, what with all the profound bows, icon kissing, and candle lighting, can actually be diversions from the important confrontation of one's own personal sin. In their newness to Orthodoxy they throw themselves into the externals and public displays, while preventing themselves from entering into the mystery of faith that comes only with the acquisition of a humble and contrite heart.

Our longing for drama and excitement in our new found faith, can, if we let it, become a distraction, leading to spiritual pride, rather than the holiness that comes with humbly receiving the faith by following the example of holy people whose lives are often hidden from us. If our Orthodoxy is expressed primarily in the externals, we put ourselves on the fast track to becoming followers of the Pharisee, rather than imitating the humility of the Publican.

My own spiritual father, Archimandrite Dimitry of blessed memory, gave me the best of advice, when he said, "little by little". Taking little steps, with the guidance and direction that comes from one's priest or spiritual father, or by council with that pious little old lady, whose face radiates the light of Christ, we will be able to enter into the Kingdom, having gained the humility and joy that does not necessitate being extravagant with the externals.

That said, the sight of faithful coming late to Liturgy, and leaving after communion, is sad indeed. The bottom line is that everyone of us needs to personally be converted to Orthodoxy. Converts have a lot to share with those who were raised from birth in Orthodoxy, for the sight of a newly converted Orthodox Christian demonstrating his faith by external witness, should be the catalyst for those raised in the faith to make a greater effort at truly entering into the services with the historic external forms of worship.
​
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

​Taken from Abbot Tryphon's FB Page 

Dearly Beloved,
 
Ninety-nine years ago, the "war to end all wars", World War I, ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. A few years later, the United States resolved that the 11th of November should be "commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer . . . designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations".
 
World War I did not end war as the patriots proclaimed a century ago. Another world war - even more destructive that the "Great War" - was soon to follow, and shortly thereafter the war in Korea. So, in 1954 Armistice Day, as it had been known previously, was renamed Veterans Day, so that all American veterans of all wars would be honored. Sadly, war continued to mark the twentieth century and continues into the twenty-first. Honoring our veterans is as important as ever, if only to remind us that we have not found a way for peace to prevail.
 
Men and women who love America have served in the five branches of the military: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard. They have served throughout the world on many missions, facing danger and risking their lives. At the end of their service, they often returned home with little fanfare, except to the embrace of their families, which were grateful for their safe return. Yet, many also bore tremendous scars and wounds - physical and emotional. As a member of a team that took care many veterans who were battling many psychological traumas caused by their experience of the violence and horrors of warfare, I came to a new respect and admiration for those who were willing to take up arms and serve in the military.
 
On November 11, our nation honors the men and women who served. As the poet Maya Angelou once said, "How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes!" As a Church we too should honor publicly our brothers and sisters who served in the Armed Forces. In all of our parishes, we will find veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, down to today's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also those who served elsewhere around the world. Included among our veterans are clergy and military chaplains. We must express our thanks to those who served because they risked all to defend the highest principles of our nation.
 
As we gratefully remember those who valiantly served our country on this Veteran's Day, let us pray to our Lord that He may keep them safe and always under His watchful care.
With Love in Christ,
  + Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco