Let’s be authentically grateful not only this Thanksgiving, but everyday. (Photo Credit: Debby Hudson/Unsplash)
Let’s be authentically grateful not only this Thanksgiving, but everyday.

Photo Credit: Debby Hudson/Unsplash

True Gratitude for an Authentic Life

November 19, 2021

We are all very excited for our week-long break this week, as we should be. It is a good time to rest before the craziness of exams and rushing to get our grades up before the end of the semester. But, there is something we need to remember about Thanksgiving which is what it actually is. It is supposed to be a day to give thanks, not just a day to eat a lot of pumpkin pie (though that is good too). We hear that all of the time, but do we actually think about it anymore?

Gratitude is something that we talk about, but do we actually practice it? Recently a priest told me to pray a decade of the rosary, and for each Hail Mary, to think of something I’m grateful for. It took me by surprise, as I never thought of doing anything like that before, and I’m also a serious procrastinator when it comes to the rosary. It’s a beautiful prayer that I’m trying to say more, and I am always glad to say the whole thing (which only takes 15 minutes), but when he said only a decade, I was happy. When I said the decade late that night (my procrastination again), after the last Hail Mary, I was amazed by not only how quick it was, but how good it was to give thanks to God for everything I’m grateful for. 

Gratitude is something that will always keep us positive in the hardest situations and will keep us close to God. We always go to Him and ask Him for so much, but how often do we go back into prayer and thank Him? Taking a minute every day to genuinely thank God is something that we really need. We have so much. We should thank Him for our lives, that our parents chose life for us, for the blessings He continues to pour over us everyday. This will also open your eyes to where He’s working in your life in small ways every day. 

The word Eucharist means thanksgiving; therefore, here are some tips to celebrate your Thanksgiving faithfully:

  • Go to Mass and have a personal encounter with Jesus, fully present in the Eucharist.
  • Enjoy your time off, and remember to be grateful.
  • If you’re like me in procrastinating with the rosary, praying with someone else is always a good option. Comment below and I’ll join you for this truly beautiful prayer.
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