November 2014
Reflections of God's Goodness
Gratitude is “The quality of being thankful: readiness to show appreciation and to return kindness.”
Gratitude arises naturally from our awareness of all God is and has done in our lives. It can be easy to take our faith and God’s presence in our lives for granted because for so many of us, faith has been present since the beginning of our lives.
Faith is one of God’s gifts to us. It is the grace to believe, and that is no small thing in our world. So many do not believe — not in God, or in Truth, or Salvation. So why is it that we believe?
Many of us inherited the faith, being brought for Baptism as babies. Others came to believe through the circumstances of their lives and came to Baptism as adults. Either way, it is all grace!
What does faith ask of us? The gift of faith must be received, opened and used! In other words, we must respond to this wonderful gift of God as we listen, learn, respond and share! Pope Francis says our joy in the Lord — in our faith — should be contagious!
Wouldn't it be good to take the month of November to thank God for our faith and for the many people, gifts, experiences and graces we have received and continue to receive. When we take the time to thank God, our very hearts will change. We will find that we cannot help but reach out to the people around us with kindness and love.
Expressing our gratitude to the good God for being in our lives fills us up in unexpected ways. We become more and more aware of His presence with us and we begin to see the world with new eyes…the eyes of faith. We begin to recognize God’s presence with us in every moment. Thank you, God!
Gratitude is a response for all the good in our lives, and I thank God for each of you as I pray with St. Paul,
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you.
May your Thanksgiving be marked with love and filled with gratitude to our God for His many and varied gifts in our lives.
Blessings and peace,
Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn
Director of Development
