Asking the Clergy: A question of thanks

Is there a difference between being thankful for a meal and being thankful for something like a house in the Hamptons?

The Rev. Dr. Joseph L. Cusack, Levittown Community Church:

I think it comes down to what's in your heart. God doesn't inhibit us from becoming successful. He said: "I've come to give you life and give it to you abundantly" (John 10:10).

I beat my congregation over the head with this. One of my favorite phrases is that "It is as self-destructive to do good things for bad reasons as it is to do bad things."

It comes down to this: You could live in the house in the Hamptons and live on three-martini breakfasts, and your heart is cold. On the other hand, you could live in that house in the Hamptons and have a full life and be centered on the needs of others. On the other end of the scale, you could be a homeless person who is mean-spirited and get that meal and not be at all grateful for it.

A good question for you the giver is whether you're judging me the recipient as to how I feel about what the Lord has given me. Who is to say what is thankful enough. Is that not being judgmental?

Glenda Hills, founder and president of Millennium Sistahs, Uniondale:

On a personal level, if I had to think about the two, I would think about being thankful for a meal first, because if you're hungry, you don't have the strength to look for a place to live. Sometimes, that is all you can think about. If you have that meal, you can look forward to another day. For those who have two or three meals a day, even if you're fasting, it is not the same.

For example, there's a difference between praying to the Lord for a new job and praying for a job. And, there's the category of "Lord, help me keep my job."

Here on Long Island, there is a lot of need, but when you travel internationally your world view is broader. You see the hierarchy of needs. What people consider as being hungry is different. Here, you can go to a different food pantry each day and get enough groceries to last the week. In other countries, they may get one bag that has to last a month. People may come to you, and they haven't eaten for three days. The prayer is different when you're praying for necessities.

John Zenkewich, pastor, Unity Church of Long Island, Hempstead:

One of the greatest things a person can do is to be thankful for what they have, starting with being thankful just for having life and waking up in the morning. By doing so, we take the time out to be more aware of our connection to our spirit. It is about the act of being thankful, not what you're being thankful for. Once you come from that level of thankfulness, it doesn't matter what you're praying for. It is all the same.

Of course, someone who is praying for his next meal can't even conceive of someone praying for a house. Fortunately, many of us in America are living well above survival mode. We forget that "Thank you, God" is a prayer. So, no, there isn't a difference if you start out with the proper intent.

Rabbi Stanley Rubin, Congregation Tifereth Israel, Greenport:

There are levels of thankfulness, but it is a personal situation, how you personally feel and what your priority is. Unless you're deeply grateful for just being alive. Are we being frivolous to ask for something new or different more than to ask for something to sustain our lives?

You should be deeply thankful for the gift of your life. You should be thankful for all things. Is there a difference between someone who is unsure of his next meal and you thanking the Lord each time you sit down to eat? There is no guarantee you'll be here for another meal. We take for granted that as Americans we'll have food, clothing, a place to live.

Of course, there are exceptions, but for most of us, we've been greatly blessed. You should remember that and be thankful. It all stems from God's grace.

If you pray and pray with all your heart, it is all the same. If you pray halfheartedly, that may be the kind of answer you get.