Saints' Discussion Forums

Ever since I learned that gratitude is the secret to happiness I like to return to it, to learn more about this. I know I need more gratitude.

The thought for the day is..

Truly appreciating what is truly good is the secret to happiness. What is truly good? What is truly from God, what is truly spiritually good.

We know when we do something truly spiritually good, when God gives to us the grace to do this.. we should truly deeply appreciate it for its true worth to the extent we can.

And this gives us strength to do more that is truly good.



'Say frequently and from your heart, "O holy will of God, I love thee; the food of my Jesus was to do the will of the eternal Father; it shall be my food also ever to do His will."'

St. Paul of the Cross

'The shortest, yea, the only way to reach sanctity, is to conceive a horror for all that the world loves and values.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Thanks for the invite to this forum Shin. Looks great.

Surely it (being thankful) is a virtue?
To be seasoned with Salt...being the Light of the world...and bearing fruit!

It is a sign of good upbringing, a sign of the humility, one definition of this is to be polite and respectful.

If there is any good in the world, it is because of God, so let us Praise Him for it! "God ALONE is good", Jesus said.
 

 ??? I don't understand this. :-[

Welcome! It's great to see you here!   :cheers:

Yes, being thankful is a virtue! Thank you for putting it that way! I had not thought of it until you put it that way! It clearly is, St. Thomas even writes of it. Wonderful!

There's an introductions thread for if you feel like it!  :D

Well, the traditional enemies of Christians are the world, the flesh, and the devil.. So what worldly people value.. we must be horrified by valuing.. I suppose it's rather like when St. Peter heard the Lord tell of His suffering and death and St. Peter was horrified by the idea and urged against it, then Christ said, 'Get thee behind me Satan'. That was how bad it was, when St, Peter said that - the devil was behind the words and the emotion. So there are many things that seem very reasonable even to people.. that we must take the opposite feelings to. Things we would feel that way about if we were not Christians, but and simply been like everyone else.. valuing the natural goods, but not God and their true purpose..

Fear has a good purpose in its proper place.. hate too.. anger too.. each properly directed.. has a place that is perhaps even essential and at times cannot be done without.. If we did not feel strongly against evils, we would not do what was necessary to put an end to them or leave them behind, nor rebuke others properly or live the virtue of justice properly.

One of the things I have heard the saints preach against many times is 'human respect'.. i.e. that respect for and fear of offending the values of worldly people.. fear of doing differently than they, and belief in their beliefs which contradict Christianity..

So when we turn off the TV or throw it out for good, when we rebuke people who take the Lord's name in vain.. when we value comfort over mortification.. the health of the body over that of the soul..

I don't know all the things but I know we only have so much time on this earth to change to serve God properly.. and to store up treasure in Heaven rather than here.. when the time is out.. it is out..

And how much or little we did stands.

I see it like this. The world loves exterior beauty, Saints don't.
The world loves money and power. Saints don't. We know the importance of money but will not sell our souls for it or obsess about it.
The world lives for the moment. The saints live keeping in mind eternity.
One can serve either God or money. The world runs after money, the saint desires the Cross of Christ and a share in His suffering. The world has a distaste and horror of suffering and the Cross.

thank you Shin, i will try find the "introduction" forum thread, no luck yet!

And yes also, worldly/secular people are unthankful too... thats a difference in my experience...
brutish like wild beasts, (true) saints are quiet the opposite I think
boastful liking imaginations rather than truth, again the secular...

Well they need reaching! :)

See the 'Daily Life' subforum! There are two! :D Or a person can start a new one too!