Give thanks at all times, says Jesuit psychologist

Fr Charles Shelton SJ - a Jesuit priest, psychologist, and the author of a new book on gratitude - says that the choice to live gratefully can help to improve virtually every aspect of a person's life.

Fr Shelton is a professor of psychology at Denver's Regis University in the US.  His recently published book, 'The Gratitude Factor,' examines the importance of giving thanks for one's work, leisure, relationships, and other everyday experiences of God's grace.  He explains how the choice to live gratefully, even in the midst of difficulty, could profoundly change one's experience of the world.  Gratitude, he says, gives depth to the experience of joy, and profound meaning to less desirable tasks - by 're-framing' both as important aspects of the life that one receives from God.

He stresses that gratitude, for Christians, comes most of all from understanding that 'we are God's sons and daughters, and Jesus' brothers and sisters.' That 'core experience' is 'channelled, through our hearts, into various commitments' that allow believers to share God's gifts to them with others.

'The more we can carve out some time to reflect on that (identity) in our lives,' he offers, 'the more rich they become.'

Jesus himself, Fr Shelton observes, was grateful for every aspect of his human life: not only for his family, community and work, but also - as the priest explains in a profound passage of 'The Gratitude Factor'- for his suffering and death, which he accepted to give new life to humanity.

While some experiences naturally inspire a feeling of gratitude, others take work, patience and prayer to appreciate.  Sometimes the benefit of a situation is completely hidden, requiring the attitude of faith. 'Regardless of what happens, I would want to be a grateful person,' Fr Shelton says. 'You could weather anything, and draw from it, if you are grateful.'

But even when it comes to obviously good experiences, Fr Shelton stresses that gratitude is a virtue that requires attention and effort to develop.  His book offers a number of strategies for making thankfulness a part of life, including a 'daily gratitude inventory' modelled on the Jesuits' traditional techniques for recalling God's presence.

'Having felt God's gifts,' he says, 'we can now prepare ourselves for the greatest gift,' - that of Christ's birth - 'which is coming.'

Click on the link below to order your copy of 'The Gratitude Factor' through Amazon.  Or through the JRS/Amazon link to ensure that 5% of the purchase price goes to JRS-UK (see www.jesuit.org.uk/latest/101126.htm for full details).



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