Holding Steady with Gratitude, Sacred Rituals, and the Spirit of St. Clare

Can small acts of thanks help us belong to ourselves, each other, and God?

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I often wonder about the treasures of gratitude that I hold in my heart. Do they matter, I sometimes ask. What is their purpose? Why do I do this?

Like a gentle wind blowing, I am reminded of the many saints that have gone before me — many great women and men — who have forged their way in life, one grateful step at a time. If they can do it, one grateful step at a time, can’t I also?

They have become saints because of the grand things they have accomplished in the name of God. Most of us will never be canonized as a saint, but that doesn’t mean our lives are not saintly. If you believe in the existence and presence of God, then you are a saint, and so am I.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,” — Ephesians 2:19, NASB

Being a saint doesn’t mean you are better than anyone. After all, we are all human and have human tendencies and emotions. We also have our share of hiccups in life — some more than others, and some more than we think we can bear. Yet, others, we scoop up, toss aside, and say, “Bye Felicia!”