Prelate’s Apartment by
Reverend Arthur F. Hebbeler, III, right eminent grand prelate of the Grand Encampment
“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” (Psalm 112:9 and 2 Corinthians 9:9)
O
f all years, this seems like the hardest one to get “up” for Thanksgiving. With the corona virus constraints, big gatherings of family and friends, travel, and more seem so difficult. Sports have few, if any, spectators, and even going to the store to shop is a big event. It is really easy for us to look at the calendar and simply say, “Thanksgiving? Thanks for what?” The Psalmist writes, and Paul quoted our text for this month. God has scattered to all every blessing and done so in abundance. God has given to the poor, and we should do so as well. Our reasons for giving thanks this year may not be as enthusiastic because of the limitations affecting logistics, but we have much for which to be thankful. We are children of God and siblings of Jesus Christ, called to Him by name and counted as righteous before Him even before we were born. By the grace of God and the powerful gift of the Holy Spirit, we have been spared from much of the illness and yes, death, from the virus. At the same time, many of those who have been affected by it have, thanks be to God, recovered, yet we both mourn the loss and give thanks for the lives lost, for we know they have received the sanctification of God for a life well-lived, a battle well-fought and now rest peacefully in anticipation of the resurrection. This is a lot for which to be thankful. To my Fratres and friends from other nations within our Grand Encampment, I pray you will take time to join with us here in the United States to pause and give thanks to God for all that He has done, even in the face of the challenges of this virus, and pray that His blessings may be upon all of us in the months to come as we continue our battle with this virus and its effects on our health and well-being. As Lady Debbie and I gather at our table to give thanks, know that our prayers of thanksgiving extend to each and every one of you and your families as well, wherever you may be. God is great, and may He bless and protect each of you. 6
november 2020
