Yesterday, I saw a fabulous production of Shakespeare’s Othello by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Like the MetLive productions of NY Metropolitan Opera performances, a film of a live performance of the play was showing in a local theater. I was enthralled while watching and my husband and I continued to talk about it as we traveled home afterward.
As I sat this morning reflecting back on my day yesterday: morning Mass at the parish at which I direct RCIA, an afternoon seeing this powerful play, a lovely dinner at home with my husband (accompanied by a nice red wine), and then watching the Mets win the second game of the playoffs against the Cubs – I was struck by a wave of gratitude.
The practice of gratitude is always part of my daily Examen, but some days I feel the waves of gratitude more strongly than others. This morning I thought of all the people in the world who spend the bulk of their day trying to find food to feed themselves, people for whom a day of leisure must seem like a dream. I thought of all the people who barely have enough money to pay their bills and could not think of spending $20 to see a production of a Shakespeare play or the cost of a nice bottle of wine with their dinner (assuming they have dinner). And, of course, the people who don’t have a choice of at least several parishes within 10 minutes of their home to go to Mass. Those thoughts and more flooded my mind and I felt a profound sense of gratitude.
If you have not done so already today, take a few minutes to notice all of things for which you are grateful. And find some way to express that gratitude to God.
Creo en Dios! 