Article May 21, 1932 Issue

Gratitude

HARRY EDWARD DE LASAUX, JR.

Gratitude is twofold in nature, embodying an appreciation of good and a giving of thanks for it.

In the experience of the Master, not all who received the blessing of healing were truly grateful for it. An example of this was in the healing of the ten lepers, only one of whom returned to glorify God and to express his thanks to Jesus. Does not this point to the twofold nature of gratitude, the essential elements of appreciation and thanksgiving? Where there is appreciation, a realizing of the value of blessings, there is gratitude.

Gratitude is the recognition of ever appearing goodness. When Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, "the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen." Here was a spontaneous expression of gratitude. Some of the Pharisees, observing the scene, said to Jesus, "Master, rebuke thy disciples;" but we read that "he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." When the spiritual sense of gratitude is awakened it expresses itself in thanksgiving.

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