Giving Thanks

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“In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” 
1 Thes 5:18 

In today’s readings, we hear about the gratitude of two foreigners, Namaan the Aramean and the Samaritan leper, for the gifts of healing they received. But there are nine others who fail to give thanks to the Lord for their healing from leprosy. Many of us might also take for granted God’s healing touch in our lives, forgetting to give thanks to God for the small – and large - blessings of each day. If we tend to forget to intentionally “count our blessings,” it may be well worth our time to discover the benefits of making a nightly “Examen” as taught by St. Ignatius.

In his book on Marian Consecration, "33 Days to Morning Glory," Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, reintroduces this practice using the word B-A-K-E-R as a reminder:

  • B is for “blessings.” As we prepare for sleep at the end of the day, think back over the little moments of blessing during that day, giving thanks to God for each blessing. We should give thanks even for the crosses of each day, trusting in God to transform our sufferings into good.

  • A is for “ask” – ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to recognize our sinfulness.

  • K is for “kill” – recognizing that our sins killed and crucified Jesus, we remember moments of desolation in our day, times when our hearts dropped due to our own sinfulness or the sins of others. This is a time to forgive those that hurt us and to ask forgiveness for our own sins.

  • E is for “embrace” – allow Jesus to embrace us with His merciful love. Fr. Gaitley recommends spending extra time with this step, thinking of the image of Divine Mercy. By allowing Jesus to console us in this way, we console His Sacred Heart as well.

  • R is for “resolution” – resolving to take what we’ve learned from our reflections to try to make tomorrow a better day, one filled with gratitude and kindness.

Gratitude is important for honoring God, and it also has a powerful positive impact on our emotions, helping to lift depression and increase happiness. Making the nightly Examen part of your spiritual practice is a wonderful way to remember to give thanks each day.





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