Seldom Too Soon
Seldom Too Soon
Our current moment is, in many ways, marked by waiting. Lent is a season of preparation and expectation; across the globe, we also await the end of the global pandemic that has claimed so many lives and livelihoods. In this time of waiting, Fr. Randy Roche, SJ reminds us to take advantage of the daily, swift opportunities to notice gratitude and to express thanks and kindness before they pass us by.
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Perhaps it is too soon to name the benefits we have received from adapting our lives to the effects of the pandemic. However, there is no time other than the present for acknowledging whatever of good we have experienced this day. There is no need to wait until the time when we can gather freely in groups and even visit other countries before we recognize causes for giving thanks, for there is much more need for gratitude in the midst of our present realities than there might be in an uncertain future.
It is never too soon to thank people for whatever they might do that affects us in a positive way. We know that children, who have very short attention spans, need to be praised or thanked as soon as their good behavior is noticed such as acts of thoughtfulness or for doing what they are asked to do. We, who know how to manage well with delayed gratification, are nevertheless pleased with immediate positive feedback. We can be sure, for example, that a sincere “thank you” will be welcome when spoken to a store clerk for an ordinary service rendered. Often, the moments for conveying words or gestures of thankfulness in our ordinary interactions with one another pass quickly, so the next moment might well be too late.
Recalling past gifts, graces, persons, and events that still cause us joy even now is not “living in the past,” but gives us, through those specific memories, continuing power for persisting through whatever circumstances challenge us in the present. Conversely, we do not benefit greatly from imagining how thankful we will be in a future of everything being as it once was. We can be grateful now for the gift of imagination itself, but gratitude for what we imagine might be true in the coming months does very little for inspiring us to work through the difficulties we face this very day.
Although God is infinitely more patient than we are, peace within ourselves occurs if we do not always wait until the end of the day before we consciously give thanks for such things as having people we can depend upon, or having fresh water always available. Many of us have found how refreshing it is when we take very short pauses and choose to notice some of the simple examples of beauty or usefulness around us which evoke a sense of thankfulness. Or, we might reflect very briefly between one activity and another and acknowledge wordlessly the kindness of God at work around us and within us as we enjoy a helpful thought or creative idea.
While it is too soon to foresee how thankful we will be when the pandemic is more a memory than a present fact, now is a fine time to pray in thanks for all those whose care-giving, service, planning, and devotion to duty have enabled us to manage as well as we have through this entire year of significant losses. It is rarely too soon to give thanks for anything that we perceive as good. Even better, it is never too soon to be thankful for any person we perceive as good, especially God.
- Fr. Randy Roche, S.J.
Fr. Roche offers weekly "Spiritual Essays" related to Ignatian spirituality and discernment. To read more of Fr. Roche's weekly reflections or to sign up to receive them by email, visit the Center for Ignatian Spirituality website.
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More for reflection
- For what—and to whom—can I give thanks, in this very moment?
- How can I pause to notice or express gratitude throughout my day and typical routines?
- During the time of waiting that characterizes both Lent and life during pandemic, how can I remain mindful of causes for gratitude in the present?
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