Gratitude

“Gratitude exclaims, very properly, ‘How good of God to give me this.’”

– C.S. Lewis

Reflection:

Grateful hearts are the hearts that are the most joyful.

One of my favorite things about Mother Teresa is her gratitude for life. The people who greet each new moment with a smile have something very attractive and special about them. How do they have such unrelenting joy?

It seems to me that Mother Teresa’s prayer life was the source of her gratitude. This gratitude gave her joy and love for her neighbors. Through prayer, Mother was able to take a step back and open her eyes and heart to the presence of God.

The good news is that God is always perfectly with us. Even if there is suffering surrounding us, God, who is perfectly love, truth, beauty, and goodness is closer to us than we are to ourselves.

When we make it a priority to spend time with God in prayer, we are able to remember how dearly we are blessed and loved. This is the moment of gratitude, and when we are grateful for the gift of being loved by God, it is easy to be joyful and excited about life!

This week as we celebrate Thanksgiving and time with our families, let us remember to spend time with God so we may see His love for us clearly and have hearts full of gratitude.

Challenge:

“Prayer makes your heart bigger, until it is capable of containing the gift of God Himself.”

– St. Mother Teresa