"To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us -- and He has given us everything." (Thomas Merton)
I have noticed that those who are not grateful soon become complainers and critical of everyone and everything. True gratitude and hypocrisy cannot exist together. They are totally incompatible. Gratitude of itself makes us sincere -- or if it does not, then it is not true gratitude. Gratitude is more than a mental exercise, or a formula. We cannot merely make mental notes of things which God has done for us and then perfunctorily thank Him for favors received.
Every breath we draw is a gift of His Love, every moment of existence is a grace. Gratitude takes nothing for granted, it is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to a new wonder and to praise the goodness of God. A grateful man knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that makes all the difference in living.
Gratitude is the basis of all "celebration." And ungratefulness is the basis of all "criticism." What we are thankful for we will celebrate, thus the center of all Christian worship is the "Great Thanksgiving" -- the "Lord's Supper" -- "The Eucharist!"
As we gather at the "table of the Lord" we are grateful for the very provision of life that God has provided and continues to give us every moment of every day and night. Gratitude becomes our doorway into the very Life of God.
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By loving us, God makes us lovable.
What do you call a soldier without an army? (Deserter)
What do you call a child without a family? (Orphan)
What do you call a fish without water? (Dead)
What do you call a Christian without a Church? [all the above]
The Church is the powerful forming or shaping of God's People to establish His kingdom on the earth. QDM
"Not all who wander are lost!" JRR Tolkien
True, whole prayer is nothing but love!
St. Augustine
To journey without being changed is to be a nomad,
To change without journeying is to be a chameleon,
To journey and be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim.
(Mark Nepo, The Exquisite Risk)
Haiti 1
THE QUOTE OF THE DAY
(St. Augustine)
What do you call a soldier without an army? (Deserter)
What do you call a child without a family? (Orphan)
What do you call a fish without water? (Dead)
What do you call a Christian without a Church? [all the above]
The Church is the powerful forming or shaping of God's People to establish His kingdom on the earth. QDM
"Not all who wander are lost!" JRR Tolkien
True, whole prayer is nothing but love!
St. Augustine
To journey without being changed is to be a nomad,
To change without journeying is to be a chameleon,
To journey and be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim.
(Mark Nepo, The Exquisite Risk)
In every encounter, God asks "Adam, where are you? Where do you stand? How is it with you?" To answer this question, a person must be willing, lucid, transparent. Once someone has left behind the habitual prayers of childhood and has entered into the personal encounter, there is no way back. He must live in the light of God and expose and entrust himself to the light ever more unconditionally. (Adrienne Von Speyr)
2 comments:
Great statement:"Gratitude becomes our very doorway into the life with God..." Very provoking...it IS hard if not impossible to be thankful AND selfish at the same time! Good word Bp Q!
Have you ever noticed what the birds do after a storm? They fly around singing and praising the goodness and freshness of God.Thats gratitude.
Why can't we do the same, after going through a "storm" in our life.
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