A 20th Sunday after Pentecost to Start the Week Off Right
On this 20th Sunday after Pentecost*, The Inner Life of the Soul calls our attention to what it calls the duty of gratitude.
"The duty of thanksgiving, of gratitude, of recognition of benefits, is a more important one than some people seem to think."
Note the importance of and the challenge to our developing the habit of being grateful:
"...a virtue particularly noticeable in the saints, and that is not a characteristic of modern society."
If we remember that The Inner Life of the Soul was written at the beginning of the 20th century - over 100 years ago - we might be surprised with the author's claim that being grateful was not characteristic of people way back then. We all know how self-focused our current age has become. But apparently some similar version of this was firmly planted in society over a century ago. Given this long-term trend away from gratitude for the blessings God has given us, the author suggests we take a long look at ourselves and ask:
"How can we show gratitude to Almighty God? Ought we not rather say, How can we ever cease to show it? Where find a limit to our thanksgiving?
If we haven't developed a deep and lasting habit of gratitude for all we've been given, we're reminded that the month of October provides us with many opportunities to beg for the grace to do so now. The various feasts in October - for our Guardian Angels, for Our Lady, for various saints - should elicit in us an outpouring of gratitude.
So we don't need to wait for November and our great Thanksgiving holiday to be thankful! Just think about the angels and saints celebrated this month. You know that the virtue of gratitude was deeply embedded in their souls. Specifically in the case of the saints, many were not born that way. Some may not have had a natural inclination to recognize and be thankful for the blessings God granted to them. They had to pray for the graces they needed to develop a steady, consistent "attitude of gratitude." We can do the same. Personally, I find this to be most encouraging, given my own lack of the natural proclivity to gratitude.
Do put in the time and effort if needed. The example of the saints will prove to be a powerful source of inspiration.
"...for their good examples, for their availing intercession, for their love; above all, for His love in making them what they are, and in giving them to us as our beloved brothers and sisters in the communion of the saints and the fellowship of the house of God..."
Recognizing their example and praying for the grace to emulate them will help us develop a well-grounded consistent habit of gratitude. And just look at how much there is for each of us to be grateful for:
"Every day we should thank God for His care over us in the previous night; every night, before we fall asleep, we should thank Him for all his many benefits through the long day of toil, of study, of temptation, of care, of many joys, of many trials.
We should thank Him for the things He has kept us from doing, things we wanted to do that would have wrought us harm; thank Him for trial, pain, loss, chastisement, disappointment..."
All this and more can bring all of us a life time of gratitude.
And yet we fallen creatures know that there are times in our lives when it simply is not so easy for us to be grateful. When terrible things happen to us, "Thank You" may be the last thing that comes to mind.
"The time may come when, even thought our hearts are breaking, the first cry of our lips will be: 'Thank God. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.' Even in those hardest trials, caused by our own sins and failings, or the faults of our kindred and friends, we shall be able to find cause for gratitude in the memory of the truth that God is always ready to forgive, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy towards all who really turn to Him. If we cultivate a thankful heart, we shall find that we have not time enough for all we would say in grateful acknowledgment of God's mercies, and we shall be glad to make this little prayer our own: -
'I wish to thank Thee, and I can not. Do Thou, dearest Jesus, suffer me to speak with Thy lips, and to thank Thee with the thankfulness of Thy own Sacred Heart.'"
So what are you waiting for. Be thankful!
*Because The Inner Life of the Soul was published before Pope Pius XI declared the last Sunday of October the Feast of the Kingship of Jesus Christ, it was not recognized in today's entry. But today, in the traditional calendar, we do celebrate Christ the King.
"The duty of thanksgiving, of gratitude, of recognition of benefits, is a more important one than some people seem to think."
Note the importance of and the challenge to our developing the habit of being grateful:
"...a virtue particularly noticeable in the saints, and that is not a characteristic of modern society."
If we remember that The Inner Life of the Soul was written at the beginning of the 20th century - over 100 years ago - we might be surprised with the author's claim that being grateful was not characteristic of people way back then. We all know how self-focused our current age has become. But apparently some similar version of this was firmly planted in society over a century ago. Given this long-term trend away from gratitude for the blessings God has given us, the author suggests we take a long look at ourselves and ask:
"How can we show gratitude to Almighty God? Ought we not rather say, How can we ever cease to show it? Where find a limit to our thanksgiving?
If we haven't developed a deep and lasting habit of gratitude for all we've been given, we're reminded that the month of October provides us with many opportunities to beg for the grace to do so now. The various feasts in October - for our Guardian Angels, for Our Lady, for various saints - should elicit in us an outpouring of gratitude.
So we don't need to wait for November and our great Thanksgiving holiday to be thankful! Just think about the angels and saints celebrated this month. You know that the virtue of gratitude was deeply embedded in their souls. Specifically in the case of the saints, many were not born that way. Some may not have had a natural inclination to recognize and be thankful for the blessings God granted to them. They had to pray for the graces they needed to develop a steady, consistent "attitude of gratitude." We can do the same. Personally, I find this to be most encouraging, given my own lack of the natural proclivity to gratitude.
Do put in the time and effort if needed. The example of the saints will prove to be a powerful source of inspiration.
"...for their good examples, for their availing intercession, for their love; above all, for His love in making them what they are, and in giving them to us as our beloved brothers and sisters in the communion of the saints and the fellowship of the house of God..."
Recognizing their example and praying for the grace to emulate them will help us develop a well-grounded consistent habit of gratitude. And just look at how much there is for each of us to be grateful for:
"Every day we should thank God for His care over us in the previous night; every night, before we fall asleep, we should thank Him for all his many benefits through the long day of toil, of study, of temptation, of care, of many joys, of many trials.
We should thank Him for the things He has kept us from doing, things we wanted to do that would have wrought us harm; thank Him for trial, pain, loss, chastisement, disappointment..."
All this and more can bring all of us a life time of gratitude.
And yet we fallen creatures know that there are times in our lives when it simply is not so easy for us to be grateful. When terrible things happen to us, "Thank You" may be the last thing that comes to mind.
"The time may come when, even thought our hearts are breaking, the first cry of our lips will be: 'Thank God. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.' Even in those hardest trials, caused by our own sins and failings, or the faults of our kindred and friends, we shall be able to find cause for gratitude in the memory of the truth that God is always ready to forgive, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy towards all who really turn to Him. If we cultivate a thankful heart, we shall find that we have not time enough for all we would say in grateful acknowledgment of God's mercies, and we shall be glad to make this little prayer our own: -
'I wish to thank Thee, and I can not. Do Thou, dearest Jesus, suffer me to speak with Thy lips, and to thank Thee with the thankfulness of Thy own Sacred Heart.'"
So what are you waiting for. Be thankful!
Happy Sunday!
*Because The Inner Life of the Soul was published before Pope Pius XI declared the last Sunday of October the Feast of the Kingship of Jesus Christ, it was not recognized in today's entry. But today, in the traditional calendar, we do celebrate Christ the King.
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