When the Homily is about Immunology

Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for.

The Akathist of Thanksgiving will be sung tonight in our Parish. It is a jaw dropping song of praise to God for all His goodness bestowed upon us...made even more astounding by the person who wrote it and under what conditions he did so. In 1942, while incarcerated in a Soviet prison camp, Father Gregory Petroff penned this wonderful hymn of thanksgiving. He would die a martyrs death there in 1942.

I am not sure to what extent, but it seems that more and more Orthodox Parishes are offering this service on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I find it to be a beautiful means of inspiring a truly thankful and repentent heart. In the context of Orthodox time, this 60 year old service is barely out of the womb and testifies to the Living Tradition of the Church.

Alas, the illnesses in my home will prevent our attendence, but my wife and I will chant it together tonight before our icon corner...surely if Fr. Gregory can write it in the midst of suffering that I cannot imagine, I can manage to sing it while being pestered by a flu virus.

The text can be found in Word Document form here.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!