Thanks
Excerpt from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-21
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.”
Reflection by Martin B. Copenhaver
The closest I have ever come to meeting royalty is when my wife, Karen, and I were invited to a reception for the great jazz singer, Ella Fitzgerald. The reception was being held after her concert in the small city where we lived at the time. I love jazz and I have always adored Ella Fitzgerald. So I eagerly looked forward to the concert and was thrilled at the prospect of meeting her.
I no longer remember what I had intended to say to her when I had my chance to shake her hand. I am sure I rehearsed something. I probably planned to say something I thought was witty or something I thought she might remember. But when I extended my hand to shake hers, I not only couldn’t remember what I intended to say, I couldn’t think of a thing to say. I was speechless. I had my moment, but I had no words. Then, eventually, still shaking her hand, with a bit of a stammer, I said, “Thank you so much, Miss Fitzgerald.” That is all I could say.
In response, she just gave a sweet, shy little smile and nodded her head. That was it. But somehow, it was enough. As the great medieval theologian and mystic, Meister Eckhart, once observed, “If the only prayer you say in your entire life is, ‘Thank you,’ it will be enough.”
Prayer
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Is that really enough? Thank you.
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