Real Life Disciples: What are you thankful for?

What are you thankful for? Seems a bit trendy to ask such a question at a time like this, Thanksgiving and all. I’m hoping you will dig a little deeper with me, though, as you read this. What are you really thankful for? And, when is the last time you told someone about it? 

Gratitude sort of lends itself toward sharing. In fact, it grows when we share it. Numerous studies have shown that people who feel and express gratitude experience higher levels of happiness. The Harvard Medical School Health Publishing site goes so far as saying, “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships.” Go figure!

So, who do we tell? Well, first we should tell God. Luke 17 was a recent Gospel reading at Mass with the story about the 10 lepers being healed by Jesus. Yet, only one of them returns to Jesus to thank him, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” (Luke 17:17-18). 

The point is clear, don’t forget who to thank first! We need to be aware of what God has done for us, we need to stir up gratitude for those things, and we need to go back to him to express our gratitude. This week is a great time to reflect on all those blessings. Give thanks to God for his many benefits (Psalm 103:2).

But, we also need to tell others. When we share our gratitude with other people, several things happen. First, as stated before, the gratitude actually deepens and expands within us. Second, the more we share, the more concrete the gratitude becomes. As human beings we are somewhat fickle; feelings of gratitude won’t last. When we share about our gratitude and the reasons for it, something solidifies within us that is much harder to take away than the feelings themselves. 

And, the reason for that concretization is the third thing that happens, when we share our gratitude with others the gratitude and the reasons for it become a part of our memory, which makes it “lasting.” There’s a neuroscience to all this. But, notice that everything I’m talking about so far is just the benefits to us. We could go on and on, talking about all the benefits to the other people we are sharing with.

When you take time to reflect on what you are really thankful for, I hope your heart is stirred by the wonder of our salvation. Many a saint has pondered and been lost in contemplation over this mystery. How could the God who created the whole universe care somehow about me? How could Jesus care enough about me to take on the weight of my sin? Why would he choose to lay down his life for me? 

Saint Leo expressed the great mystery like this, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, born true man without ever ceasing to be true God, began in his person a new creation and by the manner of his birth gave man a spiritual origin. What mind can grasp this mystery? What tongue can fittingly recount this gift of love? Guilt becomes innocence, old becomes new, strangers are adopted, and outsiders are made heirs. Rouse yourself, man, and recognize the dignity of your nature” (Saint Leo the Great).

You may think you’re not nearly as eloquent as Saint Leo, and even feel a bit intimidated to share the blessings of your faith with others. But, Pope Francis encourages all of us, “Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love (Evangelii Gaudium). In that one sentence, Pope Francis takes all that we have been saying about gratitude and thankfulness, and firmly connects it to love. When you’re sharing with someone else about someone you love, all the challenges and difficulties fade away. We all love to share about someone we love! 

I encourage you during this season of Thanksgiving to reflect on what you are thankful for, but far more importantly to go share your gratitude with someone else. I even would challenge you with the hard question, when is the last time that you shared your faith with another person? If it has been a long time, maybe even years, then this year, it’s time. Stir up gratitude in your heart, and then go share what you are grateful for with a friend!