SAUCIER — Beyond thankful

“In everything give thanks,” Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians.

Since Paul was beaten, stoned, starved and shipwrecked, I’ve wondered whether this was an exhortation to the persecuted Church of Thessalonica, or more just a note to self.

Either way, giving thanks was something Paul preached and practiced. Something in which I find myself too often lacking.

I thought of Paul’s words recently. It was a rare day when I had no meetings, no deadlines and no grandparent duties.

I spent the morning outside, doing winterizing chores. It had rained the night before. The air was clean, crisp and fragrant.

The needed moisture had softened the ground, resurrected the grass and seemed to give the maple leaves strewn across the ground one last muted burst of color.

I was emptying the compost bin, taking wheelbarrows of the repurposed remains of thousands of fruits and vegetables to the garden, where they would make their final gift.

Suddenly, it hit me. I was happy. Not just content or satisfied but sated and fulfilled. It was all good, and I was grateful.

I had to sit down and check myself. Was I intentionally deceiving myself, ignoring the suffering of those around me and the worrisome state of the world?

If I made a ledger with blessings on one side and struggles on the other, the blessings would be far more numerous. But I’m not sure that was Paul’s point.

The thanks we give is not only for the individual good things that have befallen us without merit, but for life itself and the sustaining power of God’s love that is always there, maybe even more so in the suffering than the blessing.

I couldn’t help but be thankful in that moment, but at the same time it seemed selfish and incomplete — all about me.

Paul would agree. Thankfulness is where he urges us to start, but gratitude is where he is trying to get us.

There’s a difference. Thankfulness can and should be expressed in words, like going around the Thanksgiving table and confessing our blessings.

Gratitude is more profound. It’s when frequent practice of thankfulness leads to humility and routine acts of kindness and compassion toward others.

Current science tells us that a grateful life lowers stress, reduces depression and boosts happiness.

But for Paul, that’s just the whipped cream on the pumpkin pie. He insists that gratitude is the bedrock of all virtues.

We should give thanks always for goodness sakes!

Happy Thanksgiving!