The Gifts That Bind Us: Family, Community, and Love

The Thanksgiving message below is from Saint John’s Prep Head of School, Jon McGee.

“Only one response can maintain us: gratefulness for witnessing the wonder, for the gift of our unearned right to serve, to adore, and to fulfill. It is gratefulness which makes the soul great.”
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, “I Asked for Wonder”

Dear Saint John’s Prep Families,

Time accelerates between Thanksgiving and Christmas as the semester rapidly winds to its end, as we race to holiday concerts and gatherings, as we search for “just the right gift,” and as we prepare for the joys of Christmas day. A year of activity in just one month.

More than any other time of year, Thanksgiving and the Advent season that will begin on Sunday ask us to reflect on both gift and gratitude. When we think of gifts, we most often think of presents wrapped and given. Objects. But the root of the word gift is give. A verb. Gift and giving derive their power as actions, given and received, most often expressed in the form of friendship, solidarity, solace, empathy, and, most importantly, love.

Giving is not a time, date, or event-bounded activity confined to one time of year, but rather a disposition toward life and community that involves the whole self. Even so, powerful as they are, gift and giving remain incomplete without gratitude. Gratitude and thankfulness complete gift and giving. We are grateful for the opportunity to give love and grateful for the opportunity to receive it. We are grateful for what we are able to give, grateful for what we have been given, and mindful of those for whom love and gift are all too scarce.

We have much to be thankful for at Saint John’s Prep. I am grateful for the gift of our students and the curiosity, joy, and energy they bring to school every day. I am grateful for the gift of our talented faculty and staff who teach and nurture our students in so many ways. And I am grateful for the gift of the parents, family and friends who support our students and our school throughout the year. Family, community, gratitude, and love are the gifts that bind us.

As we begin this season of gift and giving, thanks and thanksgiving, I offer this prayer to our community:

Creator God,
Thank you for the gifts of creation and community, friendship and fellowship
As we prepare for Thanksgiving and begin the Advent season, we pray
For faith in a world where too many walk in fear; may all find hope
For food in world where too many walk in hunger; may all be fed
For family in a world where too many walk alone; may all be loved
For light in world that knows too much darkness; may all find peace
Amen

Blessings for a wonderful Thanksgiving and Advent!
Jon McGee
Head of School