GRATITUDE

• Grace to ask: to ask God for the

grace of being grateful to all the
things that happened to my life
even how painful it was.
Fundamental Truth:
Deus caritas est.

Nothing is more basic than the

realization and acceptance that
God loves us.
This fundamental truth becomes all
the more important given our
present context.
What is happening around us today?

INSECURITY CYNICISM
 In the face of all The Church is a
these, we need to community that must
remember this truth,
hear again, this
especially in the
fundamental truth. context of insecurity
Despite what is and cynicism.
happening around
us, we believe that
God loves us
nevertheless.
 Do we still
believe in this
fundamental
truth? One
indication of our gratitude
conviction about
this truth is… The person who
believes in God’s love
is a grateful person.
 What is gratitude?
• on the human level, gratitude is associated
with basic politeness
• on the psycho-emotional level, gratitude is
related to our well-being as persons
• on the spiritual level, gratitude is related to
our salvation
BLOCKS TO GRATITUDE

Envy is seeing the

blessings in the life
of other people
while being blind
to the richness of
one’s own.
ENVY
BLOCKS TO GRATITUDE

Some blessings are

so ordinary that
we do not
appreciate them
anymore.

ORDINARINESS
BLOCKS TO GRATITUDE

Why will I give

thanks when my
success is nothing
else than the
product of my
hardwork?
ENTITLEMENT
 NOURISHING GRATITUDE

Gratitude results from

a way of seeing
reality.
If you want to grow
in gratitude, focus
on what you have,
and appreciate it APPRECIATION
as gift.
 NOURISHING GRATITUDE

No matter how much

we try, or how
sincere our
intentions, or how
good our plans,
there is no
guarantee that we ACCEPTANCE
will always succeed.
 NOURISHING GRATITUDE
We grow in gratitude
when we learn to
place everything – our
life, our work, our
plans – in God’s
hands.
Abandonment yields to
insight. When you
place everything in
God’s hands, you will ABANDONMENT
begin to see blessings
in disguise.
Scriptural Texts for Prayer

• Psalm 92
“How great are your works,
O Lord.”
• Psalm 107
“Give thanks to the Lord
for his love endures
forever.”
• Luke 17:11-19
The Parable of the Ten
Lepers
Questions for reflection and group
sharing:
1. Are you a grateful person? What are the
things you are grateful for? Who are the
person you are grateful with?

2. If you are not, what keeps me from

becoming one? What are the hindrances?

3. What path should you take in order to grow

in gratitude?