The old man at the altar

Mike Langlois is the Grand Knight of St. Augustine Knights of Columbus Council 7273 in Peru, N.Y. He is also the Upstate Conference Coordinator for Evangelization and Faith Formation for the New York State Knights of Columbus. (Courtesy photo of JASON WYSONG)

A few months ago, I stopped by a church in a neighboring town to pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. It was nearly 3 p.m. — The Hour of Mercy. Inside, the bright sun’s rays penetrated the multi-colored stained-glass windows. The brilliant images of Jesus’ life displayed in symbols of hope, truth and divinity. The church’s long, solid oak pews, where parishioners faithfully gather to receive “The Word,” were strangely empty. These, I believe, are “graced moments” that offer quiet reflection in precious solitude.

The silence was soon broken by the sliding open of the church’s side entrance door. An old man ascended the small set of stairs, dipped his finger in holy water, and made the sign of the cross. Then, with a slow, deliberate pace, he entered the main church. When he had reached the center aisle, he bowed in reverence and carefully climbed the three steps to the sanctuary. He moved with caution, one step at a time, until he reached his destination. Perhaps a sign that he’d come to trust God “one step at a time” in his spiritual life too. The old man continued to the tabernacle, steadied himself, and kneeled before God’s earthly home. He recited, in succession, the “Our Father,” “Hail Mary,” and the “Glory Be” prayers. He remained in a prayerful position for several minutes. Rising to his feet, he turned and walked to the main altar and gently placed his hands on the consecrated wood slab. He raised his hands to heaven — a gesture witnessed countless times at Holy Mass — and confidently proclaimed aloud, “God, thank you for bringing me to this place in my life. Praise be to God.”

What a powerful grace granted for me to witness the genuine devotion of this man toward his creator. An old man at the sunset of his life praising God despite his obvious frailty and physical decline. His life story of joy and sorrow, triumph and failure, and punishment and redemption, one could only speculate. I reflected on the times I failed to express proper gratitude to God in my own life. We may understand gratitude to involve acknowledging the positive aspects of our lives, recognizing the kindness of others, and appreciating the gifts, benefits or favors we have received. It is the tough times, though, for which Catholics are called to show God gratitude. The times when we suffer without deserving it, or go through any kind of hardship, and still be grateful for sharing in the afflictions experienced by Jesus’ crucifixion.

It’s challenging to feel and express gratitude during tough times because difficult situations can trigger discouraging feelings like anxiety or anger, making it hard to focus on positives. In his apostolic letter “Novo Millennio Ineunte,” St. John Paul II writes, “Remember the past with gratitude … live the present with enthusiasm and … look forward to the future with confidence.” Yes, I know, it is easier said than done. Still, as we continue our lifelong spiritual journey, we can show gratitude in times of trouble through prayer and worship. We do this by attending Mass and sharing in the sacraments on a regular basis. We set aside time for God in daily prayer and Scripture focusing on His goodness and promises. St. Paul, who was beaten, whipped, stoned, imprisoned and shipwrecked thanked God in bad times. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). To make showing gratitude a habit, we can incorporate it into your daily routine. For example, talk with other people about what we are thankful for (conversational gratitude), cultivate an interior peace by practicing daily thankfulness (interior gratitude), and offer our gratitude to God at the sacrifice of the Mass (Eucharistic gratitude).

It is not only for our spiritual benefit to seek gratitude, but to improve our physical, mental, and emotional health. Psychologists at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Miami conducted a study in which three groups were asked to write sentences on personal topics each week. The first group wrote about things they were grateful for during the week; the second group wrote about daily irritations that displeased them; and the third group wrote about events that affected them but with neither a positive nor negative emphasis. The 10-week study revealed the participants who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. In addition, their exercise patterns increased and they had fewer visits to physicians.  

A range of factors may affect individuals’ ability to consistently express gratitude for both positive and negative experiences. Science has suggested that these causes may stem from our brains, genes and personalities. Catholics are fortunate to have the inspired writings of sacred Scripture to guide our steps in our spiritual growth. As for me, I hope to be like the old man praising God for “bringing me to this place in my life.”

Mike Langlois is the Grand Knight of St. Augustine Knights of Columbus Council 7273 in Peru, N.Y. He is also the Upstate Conference Coordinator for Evangelization and Faith Formation for the New York State Knights of Columbus, which encompasses the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Ogdensburg dioceses. Local Knights of Columbus councils interested in fortifying the faith of their memberships, or offering column topic ideas, can contact him at [email protected].