The Importance of Giving Thanks

July 1, 2026

The practice of gratitude strengthens our relationships, deepens our faith and prepares us for our eternal destiny

By Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

July 1, 2026

Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William E. Lori

One of the most important lessons parents can teach their children is gratitude — learning to say thanks for kindnesses big and small, such as by sending a thank-you note to grandparents for a birthday gift, saying a prayer of thanksgiving before meals, or expressing thanks to a brother or sister for help with homework.

Gratitude is like oil in the gears of human relationships. It helps things run smoothly. A genuine word of thanks brings joy. But our gratitude has to be sincere. Otherwise, it does more harm than good. Real gratitude comes from the heart.

We are more readily grateful to those we love — for example, to friends who help us in time of illness or distress. But our gratitude should run deeper. We should cultivate gratitude for the gift of friendship, and we should be grateful to loved ones simply for being who they are. We should appreciate their presence, their gifts, even their foibles. Our gratitude is an expression of our love.

Gratitude can surprise us. Sometimes, out of the blue, a stranger will treat us with kindness, no strings attached. It might be something simple, like helping us lift luggage into an overhead bin. Or something dramatic, like saving us from danger. Gratitude can suddenly well up in our hearts for those who die in the line of duty, even if we’ve never met them. We can be astonished when someone with whom we don’t get along reaches out, seeking to mend fences. Whenever enmity is laid to rest, we should feel especially grateful.

When we are grateful for the gift of life, we will strive to protect it. When we are grateful for our faith, we will try to deepen it and spread it. When we are grateful for God’s blessings, we will share them with others.

Gratitude is more than a good feeling; it is an intentional act of the will. Truly to thank another person is a decision that originates in our hearts. It is a way of life. A grateful person is a loving person. Gratitude curbs our tendency to be envious of others or hypercritical of them. It helps overcome the all-too-human tendency to gossip and thus sow division.

I hope you’ll agree that gratitude is a building block for a happier life, happier families and a more cohesive society.

But purely human gratitude is apt to fail. Sooner or later, our human nature, weakened by sin, will prompt us to ingratitude. Before we know it, our attitude toward life can turn negative. We start feeling as if nothing is good enough. When such feelings persist, they can distort the way we see both ourselves and the blessings God has given us.

Which brings us to the source of gratitude: our faith. At the heart of faith is praise and thanksgiving. The Persons of the Trinity are united in an eternal exchange of love. Jesus reflected this in his prayer; he continually gave thanks and praise to his heavenly Father, and he taught us to do the same. He chided the nine lepers who failed to thank him for curing them (see Lk 17:11-19).

The word “Eucharist” means thanksgiving, and we refer to Mass as “a sacrifice of praise.” As the Eucharistic Prayer begins, the priest says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.” And we answer, “It is right and just.” But there’s more! It turns out that gratitude is not merely a passing act of piety. It is our destiny. We were made for gratitude. When, God willing, we are in heaven, we will spend all eternity giving God thanks and praise with unimaginable joy.

All this has special meaning for us, the family of the Knights of Columbus. After all, our first principle is charity. Only a grateful heart is receptive to God’s love. Only a heart that receives his love gratefully will share it with others. When we are grateful for the gift of life, we will strive to protect it. When we are grateful for our faith, we will try to deepen it and spread it. When we are grateful for God’s blessings, we will share them with others. Charity and gratitude travel together.

Let us indeed give thanks to the Lord our God, for it is right and just!

The Importance of Giving Thanks

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