A true Lent, seriously undertaken, compels uncomfortable questions. Such as:
Is gratitude an emotion that arises spontaneously, or a disposition arising from disciplined practice?
What about its opposite, ingratitude, the lost or never learned habit of thanksgiving?
Ingratitude is the moral fault of overlooking that which comes into our lives as gift.
Today we might call it the sin of presumed entitlement of life's goods.
But gratitude? If I have to train myself in thanksgiving does that make gratitude less sincere?
Herbert's poem "The Thanksgiving" is impatient with such moral scruples.
Gratitude is duty, privilege, discipline and gift.
And the grateful heart itself a gift to be prayed for and then strengthened by practice.
Such increase of gratitude is both promised and secured,
provided only that we view life itself from the perspective of the Passion.
The 'King of Grief' and 'King of Wounds' loves with prevenient, persistent love.
Christ's love always outbids us, because infinite in resources and eternal in purpose.
And Christ's love, "Thy art of love", reduces the grateful heart to the perplexity of silence.
But it is the silence of adoration, of absolute dependence, and of grateful surrender.
We give back what we have been given, even our gratitude is Lent.
Extract from The Thanksgiving.
My musick shall finde thee, and ev'ry string
Shall have his attribute to sing;
That all together may accord in thee,
And prove one God, one harmonie.
If thou shalt give me wit, it shall appeare,
If thou hast giv'n it me, ‘tis here.
Nay, I will reade thy book, and never move
Till I have found therein thy love;
Thy art of love, which I'le turn back on thee,
O my deare Saviour, Victorie!
Then for thy passion – I will do for that –
Alas, my God, I know not what.
Whole poem found here
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