Thanksgiving Day

Gratitude is an intentional way of thinking about receiving a benefit and giving credit to others beside oneself for that benefit.

Practicing gratitude magnifies positive feelings more than it reduces negative feelings.

To illustrate:

John Kralik found his life at a terrible, frightening low at age 53. He was twice-divorced, out of shape, and had money troubles. What did he have to look forward to? How did he get stuck in this downward spiral? But during his tough circumstances, an idea came to John: write one thank-you note every day for a whole year. This was John’s way of forcing himself to notice something positive in his life. He began writing one thank-you note each day to family members, friends, colleagues, former bosses and professors and teachers.

And this act of writing one thank-you note each day changed John’s life. He wrote about it in his book A Simple Act of Gratitude. His relationships improved. He left his negative mindset behind and became more hopeful. It permanently changed his life for the better.

The Apostle Paul did not write 365 thank-you notes. But he did write about one-half of the letters that make-up the New Testament. And Paul’s letters overflow with thanksgiving. No matter what challenges he endured, Paul’s letters, like our Second Reading from 1 Corinthians, were filled with thankfulness. And they overflow with joy too.

Because thankfulness from the heart produces spiritual joy.

Gratitude also helps us see our interconnectedness.

There is a story a young couple in which the husband was graduating with his master’s degree. It was the eve of his graduation from a long, grueling academic program. After four years of intensive, full-time study, he was finally about to receive his diploma.

His wife planned a special party so that many of their friends could come and help him celebrate the long-awaited day of graduation. There would be a catered BBQ, banners, streamers, swimming, croquet, and other yard games. Many people had already accepted her invitation to attend, and it looked like it would be a full house. Her husband, though, had other ideas. He secretly contacted each person who had received an invitation and revealed his plan to make the party a surprise in honor of his wife. Yes, there would be banners, streamers, and all the rest, but they would bear her name, not his.

He wanted to do something special to let her know how much he appreciated the years of sacrifice she had devoted to support him in achieving his goal. Working full-time to put him through school and delaying her dreams of a house and family had, in many ways, been harder on her than the long hours of study had been on him.

When the day arrived, she was busy with preparations and last-minute details, still convinced that all was going according to her plan. Her husband arranged to get her away from the party site, and while she was gone, he put up a huge banner with her name on it. During that time, all the guests arrived as well.

She returned to the house to be greeted with a loud “SURPRISE!” When she realized what was going on, she could barely fight back the tears. Her husband asked a few people to share what they most appreciated about her. Then he stood before them and, with tender words of love and admiration, expressed his gratitude for all she had done for him. When he was through, everyone saluted her with a toast of iced tea, and by doing this for her out of gratitude, her husband created a lifelong, romantic memorial to his wife’s love and dedication to their marriage and family.

Gratitude is also inclines one to “give back” what they have received. Gratitude has the largest effect on peoples’ willingness to “give back” – more than sadness, happiness, empathy, shame and anger.

e.g. Today in our Gospel reading from Luke 17, Jesus heals ten lepers.

Of the ten healed, only one came back and give thanks to Jesus. A Samaritan, who had imperfect faith and belief.

Nine of them continued on their way after their healings to do what Jesus said—get their certificate of health so that they could start their new lives as soon as possible. But there was a deeper movement in the one who returned to Jesus filled with gratitude. So, the percentage of those healed who came back was exactly ten percent. Hmm…does that number sound familiar? Oh, it is a tithe. And the tithe was to be not from the “bottom of the barrel.” It was to be from the very best of the harvest. So, the very best was a Samaritan? Double ouch for the Jews! Coincidence? I don’t think so.

Lastly, Gratitude is like a thermometer that tells you the state of your spiritual health.