Next Thursday, many of us will gather around a table to celebrate Thanksgiving. For some, the day brings the warmth of family, friends, food, and gratitude. For others, it holds the familiar rhythm of football, feasting, travel, or rest. For some, the day may feel lonely, with no one to share it. For others, it may awaken sorrow as we remember loved ones who are no longer with us. Still for many, poverty makes the day indistinguishable from any other, marked by the ache of hunger and the struggle to get by.
When our experiences are so varied, when joy and pain sit side by side in our communities and in our world, how do we give thanks with honesty and with heart? How do we hold gratitude when others are hungry, when some are alone, when so many carry grief or uncertainty? Our tradition invites us to begin by grounding ourselves in words that have carried generations before us, words that call us back to what is eternal and sustaining.
At this momrent, my heart returns to the timeless words of Psalm 118: "Hodu l’Adonai ki tov, ki l’olam chasdo." “Give thanks to the Eternal, for God is good; God’s love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1)
These ancient words speak to a truth shared by many of the faith traditions that enrich the tapestry of the American people. Gratitude is more than an emotion. It is a sacred practice. When we give thanks, we pause long enough to notice that even in seasons of uncertainty, there is still goodness in our world. There is still a source of enduring love and mercy that holds us.
The phrase “ki l’olam chasdo, God’s love endures forever,” feels especially poignant as we gather with friends and loved ones for Thanksgiving. It points to the limitless nature of divine love, a love that rises above boundaries, beliefs, and cultures. It calls us to recognize one another not as strangers but as reflections of the Divine image, each of us worthy of dignity, care, and compassion. Whatever our circumstances may be, each of us carries the ability to bring that love into the world. We can lift up someone who feels forgotten, ease the suffering of another, offer comfort, or create a moment of joy. In choosing to act with kindness, we become channels of the enduring love the Psalmist describes.
In our Jewish tradition, chesed, lovingkindness, is not simply something we feel. It is something we do. It is the way we bring the goodness of the Holy One into the world through our daily actions and our relationships with one another.
Across our diverse traditions, there is a shared understanding that gratitude has the power to transform. When we give thanks, we affirm that goodness persists even in challenging times. Gratitude redirects our attention from what separates us to what unites us. Our commitment to love, to justice, and to hope grows stronger each time we pause to notice the blessings that surround us.
We live in a world where division often commands the stage. Yet on this uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving, we choose a different response. By coming together, sharing prayers, and breaking bread, we affirm that the enduring love of the Divine becomes visible through our collective acts of kindness and connection.
Psalm 118 is traditionally recited in moments of celebration, but its message also speaks to resilience. It reminds us to give thanks even when the path feels uncertain. Gratitude helps us shift our perspective, strengthens our spirits, and deepens our connection to one another.
Let us step into this moment of togetherness, guided by the Psalmist's invitation to gratitude. Let us give thanks for the blessings of community, for courage in times of challenge, and for the hope that guides us as we work together toward a world grounded in justice and peace.
As you enter your Thanksgiving celebrations, may these words accompany you: "Hodu l’Adonai ki tov, ki l’olam chasdo." God’s love endures forever. Through that love, so do we.
Wishing you and your loved ones a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude, hope, and the blessings of connection.
