MAKING THE SOUL GREAT

Abraham Heschel (1907-1972) wrote, “To pray is to regain a sense of the mystery that animates all beings, the Divine margin in all attainments. Prayer is our humble answer to the inconceivable surprise of living. It is all we can offer in return for the mystery by which we live… it is so embarrassing to live. How strange we are in the world and how presumptuous are our doings. Only one response can maintain us: Gratefulness for witnessing the wonder: for the gift of our unearned right to live, to adore, to fulfill. It is gratefulness, which makes the soul great.”
The great Jewish mystic and theologian said much in a short piece. Our souls cannot be great unless we are grateful and that’s not always easy. Learning to be grateful when things are going well is easy …but when things go wrong so does gratefulness many times. I want a grateful heart in the tough times…but I find it really difficult when others tell me that the tough times help to make me grateful. They don’t always… especially not at first. Maybe down the road…once more maturity sets in…until then…I mope and moan. But I do want to be grateful to the Lord… however long it takes.
“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus