In the name of The Father and of The Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
STONE SOUP
Today, I want to tell you a story. Some of you have heard the story before and some of you have not. In either case I am sure you will enjoy hearing it.
It is the story of Stone Soup. There are many versions of it around. My version goes like this: Once upon a time a stranger rode his tired horse down a back country road on his way home from a long journey.
It was late afternoon and the man was tired and hungry. Ahead he saw a small village. "I'll get something to eat there and find a place for the night.", he thought.
Suddenly the horse tripped, throwing the stranger to the ground. As he brushed himself off, he saw that the horse had stumbled over a rock sticking out of the ground in the middle of the road. He walked over to it and dug it out of the earth so that it would not trip anyone else. It was a splendid rock, almost perfectly round and smooth. The stranger liked the rock, so rather than throw it away, he put it in his saddle bag, climbed up on his horse, and continued into the village.
As he road past the first houses the village people stopped their to stare. He waved to several of them, but no one waved back. He got off his horse and approached a woman standing in front of a small house. "Good evening," he said cheerfully, "Could you spare a bit of food for a hungry man?"
The woman began shaking her head almost before he had finished his sentence. "We have had a poor harvest here. We are very worried that there is barely enough food for our family. I am sorry." And she walked into her house and shut the door.
The man continued to the next house where a farmer was working on his wagon. "Do you have a place at your table for a hungry traveler?" he asked.
"It didn't rain during the last month before harvest," the farmer said. "What little we have is needed for our children."
At every home the stranger heard the same sad story: The harvest had been poor, there was not enough food to make it through the winter. Everyone was very worried about themselves and their immediate family.
Completely discouraged and very hungry the man sat down under a tree in the village square. "Poor people,": he thought, "in a few weeks they will be as hungry as I am." Suddenly an idea hit him. He reached into his saddle bag, took out the stone and addressed the villagers. "Gentle folk of the village", he shouted, "Your worries are over. I have in my hand a special stone that will help take you through the long winter. This is a magic stone. With it you can make stone soup."
"Stone soup?" and old man repeated. "I have never heard of stone soup."
"The wonder of stone soup," the stranger continued, "is that it not only feeds hungry people, it also brings people together.
Now who has a large empty pot?"
Quickly a huge iron pot was found, and delivered to the stranger in a wheel barrow. "The kettle is barely large enough, but it will do," the stranger said. "Now we must fill the pot with water and start a fire."
Eager hands carried buckets of water and firewood. Soon the pot was placed over a roaring fire. As the water began to boil the stranger dramatically raised the magic stone above his head, and then he gently placed it in the kettle.
"Stone soup needs salt and pepper," the stranger announced.
Two children ran to find salt and pepper. After the water had boiled for few minutes the stranger sipped the brew. "This stone makes an excellent soup, but it would be better if we had a few carrots."
"We have a few carrots that we're willing to share," a farmer replied. Immediately his daughter ran home and returned with an apron full of carrots.
"Its too bad the harvest was so bad," said the stranger. "Stone soup is always much more tasty when we add a cabbage or two."
"I think I know where to find a cabbage," a young mother shouted as she dashed towards her home. When she returned she was carrying three large cabbages.
The stranger was busy slicing carrots and cabbages with his hunting knife. "The last time I made stone soup was at the castle of a rich man. He added a few potatoes and a bit of beef."
Several people talked quietly, "A bit of beef and we can all eat like rich people", they whispered. They went home and soon returned not only with beef and potatoes, but some brought milk, onions and barley too.
By the time the soup was ready it was almost dark. It was the most delicious soup that they had ever smelled and to think, it all came from the magic stone. The stranger finally declared that it was done and invited everyone to have as much as they could eat.
After everyone had eaten their full, some folk brought out their fiddles. Everyone began to sing and dance - and they continued till the wee hours of the morning. Never had the village people had such a wonderful party.
The next morning the whole village gathered to say goodbye to the stranger. As he mounted his horse a small child called out, "You forgot to take your magic stone!"
The stranger smiled. "I am going to leave the stone with you as gift of gratitude for your hospitality," he said. "Remember, as long as you make stone soup, you will never have to worry about being hungry." As he rode off a grandfather put his arm around the shoulders of his young granddaughter and said, "Do you remember the other bit of magic that the stranger promised when you make stone soup?" he asked.
Yes," she said, "the stone brings people closer together."
Today we celebrate the goodness of our God in providing to us the bounty of earth, sea, and sky - the goodness of God who grants to us both seedtime and harvest, the goodness of God who shares with us the love that is in his heart and calls us to likewise share.
Some facts I would like you to think about today. It concerns a variety of the blessings we have received in this most special land in which we live. It goes like this:
If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed. One- third of the
world does not have access to even one.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you
are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the
loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of
starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world.
If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, t
torture, or death, you are more blessed that almost three billion people
in the world.
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a
roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75%
of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the worlds
wealthy.
If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare,
even here in North America.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly
thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on
the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing
touch.
If you prayed yesterday and today, you are in the minority because
you believe in God's willingness to hear and answer prayer.
The story of Stone Soup is a story about sharing and caring when blessings seem scarce. The stone, in the story, brings people closer together, and feeds those who are hungry.
It reminds us that everyone, no matter how poor they may seem, has some gift or contribution they can make for the betterment of all. A gift for which we should give thanks. A gift which we, who may be rich as the world counts riches, not should slight or ignore - no matter how small that gift may seem to some.
We in this community today are blessed. Some have more - some less - but each one of us has something we can share - some way in which we can offer God's healing touch - some way in which we can come together and add to the pot that feeds all who hunger for food and drink and for warmth and love.
This eve before Thanksgiving Day, like so many in the past we here at St. George’s are sharing.
We bring as we do each week our tithes and our offerings for God's work in this place and beyond; and we celebrate a special harvest to be shared in the wonderful carry in meals of this parish . We have our own version of stone soup happening - without the pot or the stone - and that is good.
But Thanksgiving is not simply about sharing whether it be from our abundance or from our relative poverty.
Rather Thanksgiving with its two components -
- the giving of Thanks - and the sharing or giving of a portion of the blessings we have - be those blessings little or be they much, is about trust and about faith.
- the trust that God will provide all we need day by day - and the faith to live as God has directed us to live no matter what our circumstances may be.
Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'
or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given to you as well.
Thanks be to God who indeed has given us all that we need - blessings not just of food and drink, warmth and shelter, but abundant blessings as well of love and acceptance, forgiveness and hope, prayer and praise, love and joy.
Trust in him each day and live as he leads you to live safe in the love of Christ Jesus our Lord and our brother, - he who offered up his life for the world knowing that God would be true to his promises.
Today we give thanks to Almighty God for his blessings poured on this Nation, and we thank him for his continued Blessings on St. George’s church as we move forward together in his name.
I end with his words - as found in the Gospel According to Luke, in the sixth chapter of the NIV Bible.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and
you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
In the name of The Father and of The Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen
