Article April 1, 1939 Issue

Gratitude

AGATHA C. MALEY

"Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech," writes Mary Baker Eddy on page 3 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." Here the question presents itself, What lesson does Mrs. Eddy convey to us in this revealing statement?

Most of us at times are the recipients of gifts, or acts of kindness, for which we desire to express gratitude. Perhaps we purchase or make some article which we feel would be appreciated by the one to whom we consider ourselves indebted. And when we have given him our present, we feel we have paid our debt of gratitude. Yet, have we done all? If we have gained some understanding of Christian Science, we shall know the answer to the question.

For, while we are performing the kindly deed of paying our obligation of thanksgiving, we may, perhaps unknowingly, be very far from expressing real gratitude. There may be in the background some latent thoughts of criticism or faultfinding about the person in question. We may even consent to the erroneous suggestion that we do not like him very much. If such is the case, can we say that we are paying our debt of gratitude fully and completely?

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