Weekly Update | November 20, 2022

Stewardship Season

In a recent sermon Mother Lyn used one of my favorite mottoes: the attitude of gratitude.

I believe that I have never met a committed disciple of Jesus who was not full of gratitude and

thanksgiving. It simply makes up part of the basic DMA of faithful baptized people.

But any of us who have raised children know that gratitude does not develop by itself. It

has to be called forth and nurtured. I remember my parents prompting my sense of gratitude

when I received a gift or a compliment: “What do you say.” Thank you, of course.

Part of our basic believe about the nature of God is that the Divine One is the source of

all truth, goodness, and blessing. I know I must pause from time to time to remind myself that all that I am and have has come to me from the generous hand of God.

The General Thanksgiving in Morning and Evening Prayer says it perfectly. “We bless

you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your

immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of

grace, and for the hope of glory.” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 101)

So…how do we say Thank You to God. That same prayer offers the answer: “by giving

up ourselves to your service.” Note carefully that word “giving.” That’s how we express our

attitude of gratitude to God. Giving, that’s the answer.

Please be full of gratitude as you consider your 2023 pledge to the mission of God carried

out by the cathedral and the Diocese of Los Angles.

Bishop Frank