Meditation for August 23, On Being Grateful

Of the ten lepers that Jesus cured, only one thought of return­ing to thank Him. Saddened, Our Lord asked:

And were not ten made clean? Where are the other nine? (Luke xvii, 17.)

Gratitude is a rare virtue; it would almost seem that the little word "thank you" is one of the most difficult to pronounce.

I will try on my part to practice gratitude as well as I can.

Gratitude toward God. He has given me so much! I could, possibly, not have been born a Catholic; I could have been born blind, or paralytic, or I might not have existed at all. I do exist. I have been baptised. I am a religious. All that I have means so much. And it is from God that I have all; this all represents so much.

Gratitude toward my Institute. It accepted me; I could have remained in the world like so many others. Despite my faults, I was received; my Institute took care to form me, to prepare me spiritually and intellectually; to nourish me; to shelter me; to watch over me; to give me throughout life all that I need. It took months before I was useful for anything, but my Community trusted me. And now, in spite of my insufficiency, it keeps me; insufficiency in my work, or at any rate, insufficiency in my virtue.

Ought I not live in perpetual thanksgiving?

"O my God, be praised for all that you have given me; for not having cast me off despite my misery and my insignificance; be praised for having called me to the life not only of the body but also of the soul; be praised for having drawn me to the religious life and for having given me so much help in it. Up to my last breath may I have only one ambition - to serve; to repay sacrifice with sacrifice, love with love."
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)