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Thursday is Thanksgivings Day. George Washington established Thanksgiving as
a day to give thanks to God for
the many blessings we have received.
Gratitude requires a certain amount of humility. We have to acknowledge that someone has helped us in some way. Catholics in America have a lot to be thankful for. We have prosperity and freedom. We have loved ones. We can thank God for our faith. We can thank Jesus for our salvation. The word Eucharist is derived from the Greek word for thanksgiving, eucharistia. Cicero says, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but it is the mother of all others". Psychologists have done studies that show a link between gratitude and wellbeing. One method of treating depression is to have a patient write a letter of gratitude to someone. You benefit when you express gratitude. If you want to improve your relationship with someone, express gratitude to them. Say, "thank you" whenever you can. You will receive immediate and long lasting benefits. If we see God in the people we meet, we have the added satisfaction that when we thank them, we are also thanking God. When someone thanks us, that is God thanking us. |