The virtue of gratitude is sorely lacking in our culture. As a result, we demand more than we need, chafe under conditions better than those enjoyed by perhaps any previous generation and look down upon the cultures and peoples who came before us – often for no other reason than the historical accident that they came before us. Ingratitude disposes us to that queen of sins: pride.
Among the many virtues that have languished with the decline of Christendom, gratitude is not the least. When we frequently call to mind the gifts we have received, we take greater satisfaction in them. When we recognise how many of these goods are entirely unearned, bearing discomfort – often of our own making – becomes easier. Gratitude fosters patience in trials, contentment with what we possess and humility. In short, it gives us an accurate picture of ourselves and of what we truly deserve.
