One less chair at the Thanksgiving table

Recently I took an informal poll among some of my friends, colleagues and acquaintances. My question of the day was, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY? I was somewhat surprised to find that Thanksgiving won, hands down. Thanksgiving is a holiday steeped in traditions. I use the plural because, as often as not, individuals have time-honored traditions from their childhood families; to which they add more layers of tradition with their created family or with personal practice.

In some families, where there is a rotating responsibility for hosting the meal and providing the main dishes, special dishes, silverware, family recipes or standard foods will be prepared a certain way. Where one family always has pearl onions in sauce, others will be transported at the very mention of sausage and herb dressing (stuffing) for the turkey or perhaps at the mention of the ham accompanied by baked yams with marshmallows. All of these ingredients blend to make a holiday.

Yet in many a home this Thanksgiving there will either be one less chair or an empty chair. This emptiness will come because of tragic reasons, because of painful reasons, because mundane reasons. Has your family suffered the loss of a loved one, whether an elder or a child or someone in the military? Has there been a severe misunderstanding in your family, leading to someone being un-invited or families not merging? Has someone been banned from your table when they revealed their life style, or does the missing chair represent their partner who has never received a welcome? Perhaps last year's celebration was reduced to a day of overindulgence at TV tables and a fight over the remote control...and Jesus, the Master of the feast was never invited.

There is time between now and Thursday to take steps so that there will be a full complement of chairs at your table on Thursday. Time for reconciliation. Time to invite a single or a widow from church to enjoy your hospitality. Time to look in your life to see those people who will have no table without you.

Perhaps, like my sister, you will choose to serve dinner in a local soup kitchen and serve meals or bus tables where everyone will find a table with a meal, warmth and a place of respect and dignity. However you spend this Thanksgiving, may you spend it in the present, with an open heart, without regret, with a wealth of gratitude and with God in the midst of you.