Giving thanks at the banquet table

How was your Thanksgiving? This year, we traveled to the west side of the state to greet family at the home of my older sister and brother-in-law. This Thanksgiving gathering was of a smaller size when compared to years past. Only one of their four adult children (with their families) could make it.

Still, there were representatives from Port Townsend, Moses Lake, Quilcene and Tacoma. Added to this was a single soul from Finland. It was wonderful to see Fredrik again. He is our “family genealogist.” It has been over 30 years since we met briefly at Sea-Tac Airport. We were only able to greet each other and exchange a few words before he boarded a flight back to Finland. On his most recent trip, however, we had much more time to sit and chat.

I learned that Fredrick had also visited several of my distant relatives. All of them were new to me. Happily, I was soon able to connect with many of them via Facebook. It was interesting when I checked out their online profiles. One might expect some degree of like-mindedness among us. What I discovered, however, was quite the opposite. Their posts revealed quite a diversity. One obvious quirk was the differences in expression that broadly spanned from conservative to liberal. Despite this, I was able to find common threads to myself.

At many Thanksgiving feasts, when families are gathered, there can be a great deal of diversity represented at the table. It is at times like these when we may urge ourselves not to bring up certain topics. Why is this so? We do so for the sake of the family.

God entered the human family in a unique way through the birth of Jesus. Despite a chasm of differences, exhibited through human sinfulness, a Savior would be born unto us. He came so that we might sit at the great banquet table at the heavenly feast.

At that feast, what unifies us will be more important than what kept us apart.

Walter is pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and has served as parish pastor for more than 30 years.