Gifts of Gratitude

Details: 12 November 2010

"Give thanks to God, bless his name; good indeed is the Lord." - Psalm 100

One of the saddest realities of modern American culture is that we tend to take so many things for granted. It would not be an exaggeration to admit that we are downright spoiled! One regrettable manifestation of this shameful state of affairs is that many of us fail to say "Thank you" as often as we should, especially to those most deserving of our appreciation.

Most of us have heard the term stewardship used considerably in recent times, especially in terms of offering a due portion of our time, talent and treasure to God and His Church as a way of demonstrating our recognition that all of the good things we possess comes from God. Indeed it is our duty to give a tithe (a tenth) back to Him in whatever way is suitable in the given circumstances. Our generosity toward God begins only after having fulfilled this duty to Him.

Unfortunately, we Americans have heard so many news reports claiming we are the most generous nation on the planet (in terms of foreign aid) that we easily can forget why that most certainly should be the case (even if, in reality, it may not be). God has blessed our land with an abundance of many things, along with the freedom to enjoy them. In what ways have we demonstrated our gratitude for such gifts? How have we proven our worthiness to continue enjoying them? These questions need to be answered as part of the spiritual self-assessment of any serious Christian who recognizes additionally the many spiritual gifts that have been given.

One of the simplest—and perhaps most effective—ways to show gratitude to God is by being generous with the most needy of His children, both near and far. Generously sharing and spreading our God-given wealth, both material and spiritual, is a measurable way of saying "Thanks" to the One who has shared His ‘wealth’ with us. Generosity toward others is a powerful manifestation of faith and it serves as an attractive Christian attribute that invites imitation and thus an increase in charitable works and growth in God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Seriously working to strengthen one’s spiritual life is itself a gift of gratitude to God as well as to those who have shared the gift of faith with us. Jesus appealed to His disciples on many occasions to be generous with the time given to prayer, their primary means for enjoying communion with the Heavenly Father. We are urged also to improve the quality of our prayer by listening attentively to God, especially through His Holy Word preserved for us in the Sacred Scriptures. At Mass, we respond to its proclamation saying, "Thanks be to God!" In other words, we recognize this heavenly message for the gift that it is. We realize we need the guidance and inspiration this gift provides. And so we say, "Thank you, Jesus!" But do we say it often enough?

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we are reminded to be grateful for so many blessings in life. Gratitude in our hearts and on our lips is itself a gift, one meant to be shared. How many times have I said "Thank you" lately, especially to those who most deserve to hear it? The answer will provide at least a partial evaluation of just how grateful a Christian I really am.