Each year, our country sets aside one day to focus on gratitude. For Christians, though, every day should be Thanksgiving! Not because we need a daily turkey and stuffing feast, but because gratitude is central to the Christian life.
In the busiest and most stressful time of the year, gratitude can be especially difficult. The financial strain, the stress of party planning and meal preparation, the ache of missing loved ones, and even tensions between family members over dinner conversation can all take their toll. How can we practice gratitude in the middle of these daily trials?
The programs and audios on FORMED can be a great resource to cultivate gratitude. The more that we learn about God, the more that we increase in love of Him, and the more that we begin to see the whole world with eyes of gratitude. For example, listening to the audio talk The Body and Blood of Christ by Dr. Scott Hahn can fill us with gratitude for the incredible gift of the Eucharist, and watching the movie Pope John Paul II moves and inspires us with gratitude for his life and example. Then this gratitude begins to manifest in every area of our lives.
Thomas Merton once said that “to be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything.” With eyes of gratitude, we can see how Jesus gives us a dozen opportunities a day to love Him, even in the daily trials of life. So next time you look at your bills and begin to worry, pause, and pray “Father, thank you for this opportunity to entrust my finances to you.” When your family members are fighting, pause, and pray “Jesus, thank you for the opportunity to show Your love to my family members.” When tempers are short and you yell at a loved one, pause, and pray “Holy Spirit, thank you for teaching me humility and giving me the grace to go apologize.”
Every day, God wants to teach us gratitude. “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). May this Thanksgiving season help us cultivate thankfulness in our lives.
