Giving Thanks.
“It seems to me in the light of the Divine
Goodness, although others may think differently, that ingratitude is the most
abominable of sins.” St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) wrote these words in a
letter to a fellow Jesuit in 1542.
With Thanksgiving coming, we might pause
to contemplate gratitude and ingratitude.
St. Ignatius, continues in that letter, For
ingratitude “is a forgetting of the graces, benefits, and blessings
received. As such it is the cause,
beginning, and origin of all sins and misfortunes. On the contrary, the grateful acknowledgment
of blessings and gifts received is loved and esteemed not only on earth but in
heaven.”
What is the greatest sin, and root of all
sin? For St. Ignatius, ingratitude.
What is the cause of all our
misfortunes? Ingratitude. (Remember the book from the 1970's, “From
Prison to Praise,” by Merlin Carothers? Gratitude
expresses itself in praise, and Carothers found that praise turns misfortune on
its head.)
So how do we develop that awareness of
God’s goodness? St. Ignatius recommends
that we spend a few moments each evening considering the blessings of the day
and giving thanks as the first part of a daily examine to discern the Holy
Spirit’s movement in one’s life.
We might also take this time before our Thanksgiving
holiday to consider the blessings of significant persons in our lives.
St. Ignatius further recommends that we
spend time daily in contemplation of a Scripture passage, particularly a scene
from the Gospels. By “contemplation” he
means active thinking about the passage, picturing the scene in our imagination
and placing ourselves therein. Imagine yourself as one of the 5000 receiving a
piece of the five barley loves and two fish; or as a servant at the wedding at
Cana. These contemplations will serve to
daily deepen not only knowledge of God but also personal experience of His
goodness and love.
The best way to express thanks to God is in celebrating the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of the Lord, who gave Himself as love for us. “Eucharist” is a Greek word from the early Church meaning “thanksgiving.”
Dibby Allan Green