This Lent I am revisiting the great spiritual treatise of St. Francis de Sales’— Introduction to the Devout Life. Reading a couple meditations each day provides me ample time to reflect on the wisdom of the timeless truths of the Gospels as given to the world by God through St. Francis.

During the height of a stressful work day, I gazed at this book on my desk and resolved to take 5 minutes of my break to read the third meditation.

The theme for that meditation was titled: On Gifts of God. Below is an excerpted section from this third meditation:

Considerations: Consider the material gifts God has given you—your body, and the means for its preservation;

your health, and all that maintains it; your friends and many helps. Consider too how many persons

more deserving than you are without these gifts; some suffering in health or limb, others exposed

to injury, contempt and trouble, or sunk in poverty, while God has willed you to be better off.

2. Consider the mental gifts He has given you. Why are you not stupid, idiotic, insane like many

you wot of? Again, God has favoured you with a decent and suitable education, while many have

grown up in utter ignorance.

3. Further, consider His spiritual gifts. You are a child of His Church, God has taught you to

know Himself from your youth. How often has He given you His Sacraments? what inspirations

and interior light, what reproofs, He has given to lead you aright; how often He has forgiven you,

how often delivered you from occasions of falling; what opportunities He has granted for your

soul’s progress! Dwell somewhat on the detail, see how Loving and Gracious God has been to you Affections and Resolutions: 1. Marvel at God’s Goodness. How good He has been to me, how abundant in mercy and

plenteous in loving-kindness! O my soul, be thou ever telling of the great things the Lord has done

for thee! 2. Marvel at your own ingratitude. What am I, Lord, that Thou rememberest me? How unworthy am I! I have trodden Thy Mercies under root, I have abused Thy Grace, turning it against Thy very

Self; I have set the depth of my ingratitude against the deep of Thy Grace and Favour.

3. Kindle your gratitude. O my soul, be no more so faithless and disloyal to thy mighty

Benefactor! How should not my whole soul serve the Lord, Who has done such great things in me

and for me?

Reflection

What probably gave me most pause from the above except was St. Francis’ second resolution he charges: Marvel at your own ingratitude. Wait, what? Marvel at my epic fail of thanksgiving this week?! Yes, you read St. Francis’ words correctly. Pondering your own failure to be thankful for the gifts God bestowed upon you is a necessary step towards improvement of an attitude of gratitude.

It did not take me long reflecting about my own spiritual ineptitude. Most of my suffering and negativity this week stemmed from failure to simply thank God. Thank Him for the gifts— however big or small— He already provided me.

Gratitude helps to stave off greed and pride. I am thankful that I decided to spend a small amount of break-time in prayer. I am grateful for the example of holiness St. Francis de Sales. Finally, I am thankful for the gifts of my faith, family, and friends that God grants me daily!

Related Links

Gratitude is Our Oxygen

St. Francis de Sales: Franciscan Media

Introduction to the Devout Life

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Hope you have a blessed Lent!