On Thanksgiving Day, we leave aside our fast-food routines. We find the time to dine together and to enjoy each other’s company. What a blessing! A family that dines together stays together. A nation that sits at table together, blessing and thanking God, remains united and strong.

In Greece, Thessaloniki’s Museum of Byzantine Culture houses a small 4th century Christian tomb. The interior of its barrel-vaulted space is lavishly decorated. One fresco is of particular importance. It is the depiction of the family of the deceased presenting offerings at the grave. This scene accurately reflects the time when new converts to Christianity continued their former funeral practices as pagans.

In 1859, the Scottish author Samuel Smiles published his famous book entitled Self-Help. The book promoted thrift in spending. It attacked materialism and laissez-faire government. And, it labeled irresponsibility the root cause of poverty. Not only did the book crown Samuel Smiles an overnight celebrity, but it also spawned a whole new industry of self-help books.