Importance of Gratitude

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 17:00:47 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

We know so well the gospel account of the 10 lepers made clean, only one of who returns to thank Christ. How much is revealed in this instance of the human heart of Christ and the human soul of Christ. He let us know that he was hurt by ingratitude: “Were not 10 made clean? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

We can say that Christ’s memory was assaulted by the sorrow evoked in him by the ingratitude of the nine but he chose not to “remember” after that one revelatory cry of this human heart, surely enough to break the ungrateful hearts of us all. He let us know how He felt and about the struggle with the hurt of this human heart; but then he made a human decision not to “remember” (the hurt). Instead he chose to remember that one was grateful.

We find decisions like that quite difficult sometimes. It is so easy to remember the hurt, the misunderstanding, so tempting to rehearse to ourselves the ingratitudes. Christ elected to remember what what would humanly enable Him to go on doing good. He did not allow His memory do enfeeble His soul but humanly disciplined His human mind to serve His human soul.

And there was Peter, with saint not quite yet prefixed to his name. When Jesus after his resurrection asked the famous triple question, was He not telling us that what He would choose to remember about Peter? He gave his poor, weak, but so loving disciple, Peter, the opportunity to present him with what He would choose to remember. Jesus could have remembered only the denials. He chose to remember the love, and gave us our first pope.

+Sr. Mary Frances PCC

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Humility will Praise

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 16:00:33 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

The Fruit of Praising:

As love grows stronger, so does the desire to praise increase. It is always a sign of the weakening of love when we have less taste for praising a loved one. This is a good point of spiritual examen. lf our love for God is growing less fervent and ardent, we have an inbuilt barometer to warn us. it registers less concern for praising Him. No, it is definitely not a rather bleak activity for all eternity, simply to praise.

For one thing, the more we love a human being, and certainly the more we grow in the love of God, the more do we see to praise. The person who loves very little does not see much to praise in the other: Again, this is a test of our charity. lf we do not observe much to praise in our neighbor; one thing is certain: we do not know him well enough, love him well enough. lf we come to love him more, we shall have our own reward of seeing more and more to praise. The heart that loves little always sees little or perhaps even nothing to praise. The heart that loves much will see something to praise where others may not. But there are qualities and characteristics of praise.

Praise is always humble. This is prominently its very first attribute because in praising another we in some way situate ourselves below that person. Praise of its nature exalts the one praised, sets this respected person or this dear God or this loved friend above the one praising. By the mere act of praising, we assume a position of humility. We take a willing stance beneath another person.

₊Mother Mary Francis p,c.c.

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Sr. Mary Frances | AirMaria.com

Importance of Gratitude

Humility will Praise