These past
two months I have been studying Bishop Barron’s “The Pivotal Player’s” series
and I have come to know a few dynamic Catholics a whole lot better. The most recent GK Chesterton. Through the videos I’ve learned that
gratitude was a huge influencer in Chesterton's conversion. He realized one day that he had so much to be
grateful for and if there was this desire in him to be thankful, then there
must be someone to thank. I found his
tipping point into the Christian life to be so genuine and beautiful because I
am not a grateful person by nature- I don’t think many of us are. I have been working on this with my nephew
because he has trouble remembering to say thank you after people help or do
something for him. As I have been
working on reminding him to verbally express his gratitude, I realize
that I also need a reminder to stop and thank God. Most of the time I am so preoccupied with
getting all my tasks and commitments done that I forget to take a moment to
just be grateful. I am not sure if I
shared this quote on here before, but here it is (again):
Thankful for my friends.
“You say
grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and opera,
and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and
grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing,
dancing and grace before I dip the pen in ink.”
GK
Chesterton is remembered for his genius, he was a charismatic Catholic apologist;
but he is also remembered for his joy.
He had a great sense of humor. People
loved him because he lived like a Christian on Easter morning. And someone who is constantly happy (truly
joyful to the core) is also someone who is as thankful for the smallest detail as
for the most expansive, blue sky.
Some old pictures I never got to share.
This
morning I am thankful for mind and my sanity.
I was watching a show last night on UK teens that suffer from mental
illnesses and a last resort hospital that tries to help them get well enough to
return to society. It made me think
about me and my friend (Lud) who has autism and how we are two of the lucky who get
to live “normal” lives even with our challenges. It made me thankful that God healed me and
that I have so many people that love and support me. In American society, life moves so
quickly. I read somewhere that we have
built all these machines that help us do things and get us places faster, but
instead of giving us more time – we use these advances to pile more things into
our days. We are so used to activity
that when we have a moment to reflect we don’t know what to do with it. Thus, learning about GK Chesterton’s
conversion stemming from his desire to thank the Creator for His creation
really shows that it’s necessary to stop and smell the roses and thank God for their
perfume. I forgot what saint said that
if the only prayer that we ever learn is, “thank you,” we would need no more…
What are you thankful for this morning?
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