Dear Friends,
Thanksgiving is the time of gratitude and generosity: giving thanks and thankfully giving. I give thanks to God that even the secular calendar has marked this day as a meaningful time for families to gather, the Churches to collect pantry items for families in need, and the soup kitchens to prepare a triple feast for all those who will join the celebrations.
What would that spirit look like 365 days a year? The world would indeed be a very different place. But this would require a metanoia, a shift of one’s heart and mindset. How to start?
St. Ignatius, in his spiritual exercises, recommends a final prayer called the Contemplation to Attain Love. It sounds like a magic formula, but it is simply seeking to recognize all one has received, particularly the graces and blessings from the Lord. St. Therese of the Little Flower lived this contemplative spirit. “All is gift,” she proclaimed. From this realization, gratitude, joy, awe and reverence for the giver and Giver (with a capital G) pour forth. Ignatius knew that this was the path to see God in all things: the sister or brother with whom you need reconciliation, the poor who beg for their livelihood, the mother-in-law who rankles your patience, and so on. Gratitude for the opportunity to receive them turns to a spirit of giving that part of your heart that is meant for the other. Let us give thanks for all we receive today… finding God in all things, pleasant or unpleasant.
God bless,
Jennifer
