What is this quality called gratitude that possessing it, one is rich beyond measure, and lacking it, one is poor in all things? What is this powerful healing force that ushers in the kingdom of heaven, even in the face of despair and hopelessness?

Gratitude is the awareness of the presence of God, good. "In thy presence is fulness of joy," sang the Psalmist (Ps. 16:11). We find gratitude, hence joy, in proportion to our consciousness of the presence of divine Mind, God. Love, purity, holiness, inspiration, and goodness characterize His presence, and when we express these spiritual qualities, we are in the presence of divine Mind; more specifically, we have the presence of Mind.

Mortal thinking would obscure our perception of the omnipresent and omniscient One. To keep our vision clear is the demand of the first two commandments (see Ex. 20:3-6). Having no other mind but the divine Mind, having no other consciousness but Mind's knowledge of its perfect creation— spiritual man and spiritual universe —is having singleness of vision.

Jesus said (Matt. 6:22, 23): "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Among dictionary definitions of "light" are "the essential condition of vision" and "mental or spiritual illumination." Gratitude is an essential condition of spiritual vision. Like light, gratitude illumines its own atmosphere. Arrayed in the radiancy of appreciation, it must of necessity impart that radiancy.

Gratitude contains no somber shades of material selfhood, which cannot reflect light and hence cannot illumine spiritual vision. Gratitude is light and lens to the kingdom of heaven. "It is Truth's knowledge of its own infinitude which forbids the genuine existence of even a claim to error. This knowledge is light wherein there is no darkness,—not light holding darkness within itself. The consciousness of light is like the eternal law of God, revealing Him and nothing else." So writes Mary Baker Eddy in her book "No and Yes" (p. 30).

Paul and Silas valued gratitude. We are told in The Acts of the Apostles that after they had been thrust into the inner prison and their feet made fast in the stocks, "at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God" (16: 25). What spiritual vision and single-mindedness they possessed to be able, during their midnight hour, to sing in praise of God's goodness!

Their spiritual illumination destroyed their bondage, for we read that "suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."

So important is the quality of gratitude to the demonstration of Christian Science, which loosens the bonds of sin, disease, and death and lifts the shade of depression, that Mrs. Eddy states in the Manual of The Mother Church (Art. XVII, Sect. 2), "Gratitude and love should abide in every heart each day of all the years."

Recently a young student of Christian Science proved for herself that a sense of gratitude can act as a lens through which to perceive the presence of God, good. She was notified by telephone of an inharmonious situation which had arisen concerning her work. Apparent misunderstanding and lack of interest appeared to nullify several months of hard work. Resentment filled her thought.

Past experience, however, had taught her that nothing constructive is ever accomplished by indulging mortal mind's unprincipled, aggressive suggestions. Mental darkness sheds no light. To cast out this mental darkness, which at the moment seemed a difficult undertaking, she decided to list on a sheet of paper all of the things for which she was grateful.

She set herself one condition, namely that the feeling of gratitude must be sincere. There could be nothing superficial about it, for she realized that even the smallest glow of gratitude would begin to dispel the darkness.

Many minutes passed, but the paper remained blank. As she sat there in the room illumined by one small desk lamp, she noticed that the rays of light gave color and form to the objects on the desk and warmth to the room. She was truly grateful for light. So the first word written upon the paper was "light." The words "beauty," "harmony," and "color" were added. Her thought went out to the flowers in her garden, and her list grew as one by one she recalled those gentle expressions of loveliness.

In her ever-increasing recognition of Mind's presence and allness, mortal thinking, with its suggestions of disappointment and resentment, was ruled out. The presence of divine Mind, announced by gratitude, precluded any other presence. And in Love's presence she found her "fulness of joy."

The following day the Scientist was able to confer, in an atmosphere of sincere understanding, with the individuals who had caused the inharmony. Enthusiasm took the place of indifference, and a spirit of co-operation replaced opposition. The results were even more gratifying for all concerned than the student had hoped.

Whether in man's extremity, as in the case of Paul and Silas, or in the more common everyday experiences, gratitude can be our light and lens, by which we perceive the presence of God and His kingdom. Of the gift of gratitude, a poet writes (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 146),