Gratitude

Perhaps you have seen or read this passage from St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18) In this chapter, St. Paul exhorted the early Church in Thessalonica on specific essentials of Christian life, and some of these is to “rejoice always,” “to pray without ceasing,” and to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Having gratitude in one’s heart allows one to give thanks in all circumstances – whether good or bad.

The following information was taken from articles in psychology and peer-reviewed studies.

What Is Gratitude?

Gratitude is a state of feeling that involves being thankful for, and appreciative of something or someone. A person with gratitude responds with feelings of kindness, warmth and generosity.

3 Types of Gratitude

1. As an emotion, when the feeling of gratitude lasts for just an instant in time.
2. As a mood, when the feeling of gratitude comes and goes.
3. As a disposition, when the feeling of gratitude lingers in a person’s heart.  

Expressions of Gratitude

Gratitude can be expressed in different ways. Here are some examples:

How to Measure Your Level of Gratitude

You can evaluate your tendency to experience gratitude by asking yourself the following questions:

• Do you feel like you have a lot to be thankful for in your life?
• Do you feel that your appreciation for life and other people has grown stronger as you get older?
• Do you frequently experience moments where you appreciate someone or something?
• Do you appreciate a wide variety of people in your life?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, you probably have a strong sense of gratitude. If you answered no to many or all, you could take some steps to practice gratitude.

How to Practice Gratitude

Developing a sense of gratitude isn’t complicated. The more you practice it, the more you will have gratitude in your life. Some tips on how to practice gratitude:

Positive Effects of Gratitude

The practice of gratitude can have a significant positive impact on both physical and psychological health. Some of the benefits of gratitude that researchers have discovered include:

Things to Watch Out For

While gratitude is generally viewed as having a host of positive benefits, there are situations to avoid. For example, people who think of gratitude as being indebted to others may impose a sense of obligation on themselves, and that could add to stress and anxiety.

Some people feel pressured to feel grateful, particularly during certain times of the year like Thanksgiving and Christmas; this can also add to stress and anxiety.

What Things are you Grateful for? How does the Church express her Gratitude to God?

As a Church, what are we grateful for? The Catechism says that “The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all ‘thanksgiving.’” (CCC 1360)