Gratitude, being the lynchpin for a happy life, is the official celebration kicking off this holiday season. We should take a page out of the Pilgrims playbook. They understood the power of gratitude.
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart
Those two potent words, “thank you” should be carried around uppermost in our minds and hearts as we go about our daily routines. We sometimes fill our lives with chatter and we end up missing so much of what really matters.
This holiday season, let’s stop talking and be very, very quiet and stand in silent wonder at the vastness and goodness of God.
Be still and watch God our Father, in the continuing act of creating new things before our very eyes: this morning’s flowers, this evening’s sunset, tiny new infants and ourselves – still here, the universe still growing, all manner of good things continuing to tumble forth from creative, caring hands. Be still and give thanks!
Be still and listen to God’s gentle presence, always with us, as we fulfill our mission on earth. The Lord silently guiding and challenging, comforting and encouraging, showing us the way and helping us to walk in it. Be still and give thanks!
Be still and wallow in God’s Loving-Presence here on earth. Leaning on the Almighty’s help through a friendly gesture. Acknowledging God’s generosity through a helping hand. Reflecting on the difficult lessons learned at the feet of your teachers. Be still and give thanks!
And finally, be still and remember what the Lord has told us about ourselves: we are made in God’s own image and likeness. And there indeed we have our own vocation spelled out for us: to be all that is good, all that is great, and all that is God.
Let us be filled with silent gratitude this holiday season!
