Blessings of this Thanksgiving!
St. Jane de Chantal expressed her advice on gratitude in various ways. In her letters, she wrote:
“I want to believe, for my own consolation, that you are grateful for this grace, as well as for all the prosperity you enjoy. And that you see all these gifts as coming from the hand of God. He sends them to you, not for show, not to be used out of vanity, but rather to help you advance in humility and a loving fear of him from whom they come. Tell me frankly, and truthfully, dearest, where do you stand in this matter? I am always a little afraid that the abundance of the advantages and honors of this world may obscure your vision by their smoke, perhaps even choke you if you are not on your guard or mindful of their inconstancy and the uncertainty of the time of our departure from this life when we have to leave all that behind us.”
“ First, upon awakening in the morning, turn your thoughts to God present everywhere; place your heart and your entire being in his hands. Then think briefly of the good you will be able to accomplish that day and the evil you can avoid, especially by controlling your predominant fault. Then kneel down, adore God from the bottom of your heart and thank him for all the benefits and graces he has given you. If you think about it for a moment, you will realize how he has surrounded you with his grace and taken special care of you. This thought should touch your heart which you ought to offer him with all your good resolutions, affections, thoughts, words and deeds of that day, in union with our Divine Savior’s offering of himself on the tree of the cross. Ask him for his grace and assistance to guide you throughout the day. Ask also for his blessing, that of the Blessed Virgin, your good angel and your patron saints by a simple turning to them in your heart All this can be done in the space of two Paters and Aves; then get dressed quickly. “