Men's Rosary

Thankfulness, a most noble idea. We are supposed to say “please” and “thank you”!  We just celebrated Thanksgiving Day.  But perhaps we should take a look at our level of thankfulness.  Why should it be celebrated on just one day?  What would it be like if it permeated every day of our lives?  I would suggest we take a thank you, our thankfulness, to a deeper level.  We should be grateful!  We should live in gratitude, a state of being involving appreciation of life in general, of everything around us.  Thankfulness is often an emotional response to good things while gratitude leads us into a mindset that exists in good times and bad. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18-19) 

We have unlimited gifts from God to be grateful for.  While we give thanks, our gratefulness offers true praise, which we are called to do.  “Praise the Lord!  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”  (Psalm 106:1)   Some of the graces God has bestowed on me, of which I am grateful, come to mind. I have my faith to start.  The most precious gift given to us is our faith.  Without it we would be nothing.  Life would be hopeless and futile. With faith we know we are assured of hopefulness and things not seen.  “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”  (Hebrews 11:3)    I have a wonderful wife to share life with and journey in my faith.  “He who finds a good wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.”  (Proverbs 18:22)  A marriage with Christ involved and at the center makes us strong and helps us to endure all things.  This makes for a three-fold cord, which will not be quickly broken!  (Ecclesiastes 4:12)  I have been blessed with good friends.  Christ-centered friendships!  These are men and women who will pray for me and who will also challenge me to rise to greater heights in my spirituality.  We are there for each other in all circumstances of life.  “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  (Proverbs 17:17)  I am thankful for my work.  I have always asked God to provide the work for me to provide for my family and the strength to do it, come what may, with the promise to never turn from it. He has provided.  I am grateful and I work for his glory.  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.”  (Colossians 3:23)

I have come through this year facing what started as a rather dismal medical prognosis to being a blessed man.  It was through trust in God and an openness to his will that I received his grace and mercy.  It was through this that I became more aware of all that has been given me, and it has enkindled a stronger sense of gratitude and love. The future is not known, but I trust that all will be well and according to his plan for me.  I share this because this is true for all of us.  The gifts I mentioned, my faith, spouse, incredible friends, and work that gives me purpose, brought me to where I am.  John Donne said in 1624 that “no man is an island” and Jesus told us “I am the vine; and you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5)   The message is simple; we cannot go alone!  Trust in God, and living a life of gratitude, is our assurance of being provided for and it makes the future something to be experienced as the present and not a source of discontentment, fear, or strife for things to come.

I have found that in the adversity, God is most present.  I have also found that in the adversity my spouse and friends and  family are quick to rally around and pray.  We all may have this experience, but the question becomes, “how grateful are we”?  Do we just say thank you?  That is not enough!  God loves us through others.  His graces flow through others and from their prayers.  Do we remember to give prayers of thanksgiving for the love they showed, the prayers offered and the graces received?  The greatest way to show our gratitude is to love God as he loves us and that is done when we love others.  Appreciate the gifts we have, the people around us and the prayers said that we are unaware of. Appreciate the world around us when we step out of the door.  Thank God for every day and consider it a gift, asking for his help to serve him well and offer that day to his glory.  Pray for others and serve your neighbor as if it were Christ living next door.  Be grateful for every person, place, or thing in your day.  Most importantly, and often omitted, is to take time at the end of the day to assess our actions and gratefulness and ask God to help us do better tomorrow.  We can be thankful and grateful at all times and all situations of life – as long as we let God be part of our life.  We will see the good in all – the good times and the not-so-good times.

“Get used to lifting your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving, many times a day.  Because he gives you this or that.  Because you haven’t what you need or because you have.  Thank him for everything, because everything is good.”  (St. Josemaria Escriva)