A Brief Explanation
The action of giving thanks—the practice of the idea of thankfulness—comes from the Greek word that Jesus used at his Passover Meal with his disciples the evening of his arrest by political and religious leaders who would, within a few hours, kill him by crucifixion. The word that Luke used to tell us about that moment, when transliterated into English, is “eucharisteo.” This is where it found in Luke 22:19:
Then taking bread and giving thanks [eucharisteo] he broke it and gave it to them…
You will likely recognize the ritual and practice that grew from this moment: the Eucharist, or the ritual of communion.
The Invitation
I am creating and offering a brief respite from busy, crowded days to encourage us to retrieve the practice of giving thanks. I’m inventing a word — Eucharist-O — with no disrespect to Eucharist lovers intended to give this practice a name. The rhythm and practice that I’m offering is simple and will only take a few minutes:
First, a centering word about thankfulness and gratefulness
Second, a scripture
Third, an invitation to be still for a few moments before returning to the activities of the day.
Eucharist-O for Saturday, November 9, 2024
First: A Centering Word
What to do: read Herbert’s sentence three or four times. Pause and breath between each reading. Pay attention to what draws your attention.
Next: Read Hebrews 12:28-29
What to do: Read the scripture words three or four times. Read slowly. Pause between reading. Pay attention to what is stirring inside of you: feelings, memories, questions, thoughts, objections.
Next: Be Still
What to do: before returning to your full day, sit in stillness for a few moments. Your soul and imagination were possibly drawn to a word by Herbert or by the author of Hebrews. Perhaps you were drawn to a moment in your life where you regret not being thankful. Maybe you were drawn to a situation that seemed too hard for you. Wherever you were drawn, be there for a few moments. Pay attention to the stirrings deep within, the questions that are forming, the words that want to be spoken. Give your soul the gift of a few moments of stillness to let memories, questions, words, and prayers form.
Before returning to your day, let what is stirring inside become a conversation with God. The conversation, whatever its mood, is a form of prayer and communication with God who has been waiting for this moment all day.
Eucharist-O