Thanksgiving: Most Americans will say a prayer and thank God for it

Giving thanks is a blessing. Every fourth Thursday in November, millions of people around the world, but mostly in the United States, celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a holiday that, at its core, invites us to pause, reflect and give thanks.

Thanksgiving has its origin in 1621, when English settlers celebrated, with the natives of the area, the success of their first harvest for three consecutive days.

Of the settlers who had arrived the previous year, on the 'Mayflower,' at Plymouth Colony (Massachusetts), only half managed to survive the first winter, so the following year's successful harvest was cause for celebration and to give thanks to God.

Although many associate this celebration with family dinners, parades and sports, but what really distinguishes this day is its invitation to practice gratitude. In a society that often focuses on constant doing and in the midst of a fast-paced routine, the act of giving thanks to God should be a priority.

And the fact is that God, in his word, invites us to be thankful. Therefore, we should be thankful that throughout the year we have a day to remember all the things for which we should have gratitude. A time to reflect, remember and simply say: "Thank you." But it is also an opportunity to celebrate, share in family and praise, as recorded in Psalm 100:4.

An account collected by Christian Pure explains that while the exact number may vary depending on translation and interpretation, phrases referring to gratitude appear more than 100 times in most English translations of the Bible, demonstrating the importance of this action in the Christian faith.

Manuel Brito, pastor of the International Ministry Dew of the Holy Spirit (Mires) which is based in more than 8 countries (including the United States), explains that Christians are not only thankful for all the things they live. He argued that Thanksgiving is an opportunity to give thanks as a family and a day to be thankful for God's blessings. However, he insists that Christians should make thankfulness a way of life.

"From the Psalms to the New Testament there is a foundation in thankfulness. When we are thankful, our spiritual being connects with God. Not only do we give thanks for what we have or what God has given us, but we also give thanks for those things that have left us a teaching and for the things that we will continue to live."

In addition, Brito highlights that as Christians we also give thanks for the sacrifice of Jesus: the greatest demonstration of God's love. "The thanks that we can have as Christians and that is reflected in the Bible is to give thanks for the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus laid down his life on the cross for the salvation of all. We know that thankfulness brings blessing," said Pastor Brito.

Similarly, Brito points out that although the Bible does not reflect a day to give thanks, the word of God reminds us in all its text the importance of thankfulness. It is, he says, a time to raise a prayer to God.

"In John 6:11 it speaks of Jesus before breaking bread he gave thanks to heaven. Psalm 100, 113 and 107 speak of total thankfulness. The Bible always leads us to be thankful for God's mercy and promises in our lives."

On how Hispanics have been adopting this tradition, the pastor emphasizes that it is increasingly celebrated among Latinos because it is a holiday that also allows us to reaffirm and reinforce community values such as family.

"We take it as a reference point to commemorate gratitude. Being able to share as a family strengthens relationships. At this time, Hispanics strengthen family and friend relationships; and gratitude," he says.

"We should remember God's goodness"

Meanwhile, Biblical Foundation pastor Pedro Pinyol, details that since its inception the celebration has had a Christian focus because it is to give thanks to God for the settlers' harvest.

"Since Thanksgiving began to be celebrated, we see that it is a Christian holiday. It is a holiday with an emphasis on gratitude, of worshipping the Lord and thanking him for all things, as believers we should remember God's goodness and worship Him with gratitude," Pinyol points out.

But in addition to the value of gratitude, Catholic Relief Service points out that Thanksgiving Day also celebrates other Christian values such as gratitude, generosity and family unity: "Therefore, this date becomes a wonderful opportunity to raise a prayer to give thanks to God and remember that as Catholics we are called to make our lives a constant thanksgiving."

One of the things we should also give thanks for is that a resounding majority of Americans will lift up a prayer this year. About nine out of 10 people in the country (91%) celebrate Thanksgiving. This was revealed in a Pew Research survey.

The survey indicates that about two-thirds of adults say someone at dinner usually says a prayer or a blessing (65%) or says things they are thankful for (69%). And a majority of Americans (56%) say that someone at Thanksgiving dinner usually does both.

The study also explains that a majority of people (74%) plan to have Thanksgiving dinner with others this year.

There are definitely reasons to thank God for our lives, for our families, for America.