Gratitude is generally considered to be a thank-you that follows someone's giving of something to someone else. The expression of gratitude establishes a current of mutual appreciation between the giver and the receiver.

Christian Science brings us a different view—a more profound one—than that of merely being grateful for favors received. Mrs. Eddy writes: "Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech."^{Science and Health, p. 3;}

God is all-active Mind, which is unceasingly manifesting itself in spiritual ideas. In God's universe all is action; Mind is conscious of its own creation, man and the universe, which reflect the action of Mind. This constant action of divine Mind is not like human action—manifested at a given moment and later ceasing—for God is inexhaustible Mind, never knowing interruption, cessation, or decay.

Since God is constant action—Mind reflected in its manifestation—gratitude, seen spiritually, is the constant acknowledgment that God is always expressing Himself in His ideas. This is what Christ Jesus perceived and applied. The Bible shows that Christ Jesus' giving of thanks was different; it didn't need prior human action.

On one occasion when he had to feed a multitude with only five loaves and two fishes (see John 6:5-13), he gave thanks first, but not for what he had already received. Obviously, the loaves and fishes he had in his hands would scarcely do for even a few people. His gratitude was advance acknowledgment of the unceasing action of divine Life, manifested in abundant supply. Jesus did not need to see abundance before he expressed his gratitude.

At the tomb of Lazarus, also, Jesus gave thanks: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always."^{John 11:41, 42;} His gratitude on this occasion was not motivated by the circumstances, for Lazarus apparently was dead and buried. Jesus gave thanks before there was any human response. His words "thou hearest me always" were his acknowledgment of the unceasing action of divine Mind. This acknowledgment served to take away the stone—the mortal testimony—from the consciousness of those present, and they could see God's inexhaustible action demonstrated. Lazarus was raised.

With his spiritual perception Jesus must have understood that gratitude is the acknowledgment of spiritual action. He knew that gratitude is independent of concepts of time and space.

Mrs. Eddy also perceived the power of gratitude. A thorough study of the spiritual meaning of gratitude in the first chapter of Science and Health enables us to pray scientifically. This prayer is not a mere petition for our human experience to change so that we may then express our gratitude; it is a knowing that God's work is already done, harmonious, and perfect. We don't need to ask harmony to be harmonious and then give thanks. It would be futile to ask perfection to be perfect and then give thanks. We can express our gratitude now for knowing that at this moment the kingdom of God is harmonious perfection and perfect harmony. To acknowledge this unceasing action is true gratitude.

This gratitude helps to bring healing, because it eliminates the limiting concept that at a certain moment something happened that needs to be healed and that after some period of time the problem can cease. The only thing that is really happening is God manifesting Himself in His universe.

Gratitude opens the door of human consciousness to the constant riches of God. Through gratitude—the acknowledgment of the kingdom of God within us—we can raise the Lazarus in human consciousness. God is constantly conscious of His own ideas, and therefore His ideas are always receiving His blessing. That's why Christ Jesus could say, "Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."^{Matt. 6:8;} And then immediately he told his disciples how to pray. He gave us the Lord's Prayer, the maximum expression of gratitude. A spiritual understanding of this prayer can solve any problem.

The gratitude expressed in this prayer is a powerful acknowledgment that God is omnipotent, supreme, the only power; it is the action of spiritual sense perceiving eternally the true nature of God and man; it brings the joy of knowing that all is Love—all is good, harmony, without any interruptive lapse. Mrs. Eddy included the Lord's Prayer in the chapter "Prayer" in Science and Health, together with the spiritual interpretation of that prayer.

Thus we see gratitude as no longer merely a human expression of thankfulness; it becomes a profound spiritual acknowledgment of the absolute, ever-present power of God's unlimited, infinite action. And this acknowledgment brings healing.

Many times human acknowledgment of what we have already received humanly is a necessary first step in opening new paths in our thought so that we may then see gratitude as the acknowledgment of what we already are and have as children of God.

When we perceive the nature of true gratitude, we can apply the spiritual sense of the Lord's Prayer, which frees from all bondage. We can demonstrate the gratitude expressed in the last sentence of the Lord's Prayer and its spiritual interpretation given by Mrs. Eddy. We can meekly acknowledge that we do not need to ask for anything, for God has already given us everything: