The following Thanksgiving prayer is adapted from an Iona resource called Celtic Prayers from Iona. It seemed particularly beautiful for this year, because of its compassion for creation, and our stewardship of this island earth we call home.
O Sun behind all suns
I give you greeting this new day.
Let all Creation praise you,
Let the daylight
and the shadows praise you
Let the fertile earth
and the swelling sea praise you
Let the winds and the rain,
the lightning and the the thunder
praise you
Let all that breathes,
all beings, praise you
And I shall praise you.
O God of all life
I give you greeting this day.
This Psalm echoes the some of the praise psalms, especially Psalm 148, another wonderful Psalm for Thanksgiving. May both of them be prayers for a blessed Thanksgiving week and our on-going everyday practice of gratitude.
Psalm 148
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise God in the heights.
Praise the LORD, all you angels;
sing praise, all you hosts of heaven.
Praise the LORD, sun and moon;
sing praise, all you shining stars.
Praise the LORD, heaven of heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
who commanded, and they were created,
6who made them stand fast forever and ever,
giving them a law that shall not pass away.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps;
fire and hail, snow and fog,
tempestuous wind, doing God’s will;
mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars;
wild beasts and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds;
sovereigns of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the world;
young men and maidens,
old and young together.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
whose name only is exalted, whose splendor is over earth and heaven.
The LORD has raised up strength for the people and praise for all faithful servants,
the children of Israel, a people who are near the LORD. Hallelujah!