Psalm 62: “In you alone is my soul at rest. My help comes from You.”

Many “human potential” movements emphasize that all that is wonderful, encouraging and joyous can be found within ourselves. They make a valuable point about how we so easily leave our potential unused.

Christian faith does not deny this but points also to all there is outside ourselves for which we can be thankful. That means starting with our creation by God and the whole universe that surrounds us. It means the love of God shown us further in the salvation and promises given us in Christ.

Each of us has her or his own list of items for which to be thankful. We can start at the outer edges of this vast universe or begin in the depths of our own being. Either way, our life, our existence is a fabric of gifts, items whose origin was not our doing. Especially those of us in relatively good health, living a comfortable existence in a much-blessed country, have no excuse for whining and complaining.

As the chronically ill and the poor so often teach us to our embarrassment, there are so many things, so many people, so many events for which we should be thankful. We'd do well to list for ourselves all the gifts that make our life so livable -- and more.

Psalm 27: “I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness / in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord; be strong; / be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord!”

Reply to Fr. Don at: DTalafous@csbsju.edu

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