Celebrating the harvest is an ancient worldwide tradition practised across all cultures and religions. As Christians we hold a special Harvest Thanksgiving service, usually sometime near autumn, when we thank God for the bounty of creation continually given us. Our church altars are decorated with the fruits, vegetables and grains brought forth by God from the earth to nourish our bodies and gladden our hearts.
Harvest Thanksgiving Display at Knox, 2007
This year our parish focussed especially on the theme of “bread and wine” as these earthly elements become for us also Christ’s Body and Blood given for us in the sacrament of the Eucharist (which in Greek means “thanksgiving”). In this giving and receiving, we participate with Christ in the very life of God here on earth. As Jesus said “I am the vine and you are the branches …" (See John 15:5)
Someone recently asked why our celebration was so early, on February 11th, considering that ancient harvest festivals were usually held at the autumn equinox. (Actually the word “harvest” comes from the Anglo Saxon “haerfest” which meant “autumn”). However, in the early church of the northern hemisphere, the Festival was celebrated at the beginning of harvest on 1st August and was called “Lammas” meaning “loaf Mass”. For this farmers baked loaves from the new wheat and these were used as the Communion bread. Nowadays the celebration is more commonly held in the middle of harvest, or vintage as in the Barossa Valley churches.
Although we in the city do not grow wheat, we do have members who bake bread, so we invited them to bring loaves, some being used for the Eucharistic Communion and others for sharing at the antipasto luncheon after the service. And a bottle of good wine was also donated!
Our thankfulness to God was expressed in a special liturgy with visual displays, prayers and singing of such favourite old English hymns as “We plough the fields and scatter”, the last verse presenting again a reminder and challenge to us:
“We thank you gracious giver
of all things bright and good,
the seed time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
Help us in our thanksgiving
To use your gifts with care,
To serve as friends and neighbours
Your children everywhere.”
It is customary for goods from the displays to be distributed to others in need. In fact how can we celebrate the Eucharist without sharing our thankfulness with others? This year fresh produce was given from Ringwood to the Citizen's Advice Bureau, and from Knox to our new Dandenong Sudanese friends, who were so delighted that they presented our gifts again before their altar for God’s blessings.
Harvest Thanksgiving Display at Ringwood, 2007
So often, we in Australia take for granted our daily bread. But when the rains don’t come, we begin to ponder and we are challenged to look again at our God given responsibility to “till and keep”, “work and care for”, “serve and preserve” the garden of Creation provided for us by our ever merciful and graceful God.
As Meister Eckhart said: “If the only prayer you say in your whole life is ‘thank you’, that would suffice”!
On April 29th our joint Parish Worship at Knox will again focus on praising God for and with Creation, followed by a shared lunch and activities exploring ways in which we can preserve His generous gifts to us. Do come and join us!
Also in Mary’s Circle this year we’ll be continuing the focus on Harvest Festival. Read more about Mary's Circle in 2007 or about the Mary's Circle group.