Generous Gratitude

A bumper sticker in the diner parking lot yesterday read:

"Faith has two parts: one is patience and the other is gratitude."

Somewhat hyperbolic but both are certainly essential to mature Christian faith.

This is what the Holy Father is getting at in his encyclical on the economy, Caritas in Veritate. The source of the solution to the world crisis is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every man and woman needs to accept and experience the love of Christ. Each one needs Him and having Him each will have the largess to correspond with personal responsibility and generosity to the Lord's call to goodness and truth, and thus conquer the prevailing atmosphere of greed which suffocates the human person. Yes, indeed, faith must include patience and gratitude. Jesus is meek and humble of heart. All must learn from Him, from His company, from His friendship. As the saying goes, you can tell a man by his friends. If Christ is your friend you will be patient and grateful and the patience and gratitude will spread!