09/09/2026
Congratulations to our Rev. John Tansey on his newest "Faith Factor" column, published in the September 8 Sentinel Times (page 40). Full article below, or read it here: https://www.sgst.com.au/tuesday-september-8-2026/
'Gratefulness is good for the soul'
It was back in the 14th century that a theologian and scholar, Meister Eckhart, said “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”
Eckhart viewed true prayer not so much as a list of requests, but as an inner state of gratitude, stillness and a quieting of the mind that is surrendered to the divine will.
Gratitude, or thankfulness, is both an important part of the worship process for Christians when they gather and also an important part of our individual lives.
The Black Dog Institute tells us that gratitude can boost our happiness and reduce depression.
What we understand is that it has an impact on our brain chemistry, as it lowers cortisol levels and activates our parasympathetic nervous system, calming the fight-or-flight response due to ongoing stress levels.
Gratitude releases dopamine and serotonin, boosting our emotional balance.
It enables us to build our resilience over time and cope better with adversity.
Whether or not you have a regular spiritual practice, making a habit of being grateful or being thankful seems to be good for the soul.
For Christians, as in many religious traditions, we offer this thankfulness to our sense of the divine, a presence in which we live and move and have our being.
This also has the effect of countering the constant messages in advertising that imprint in us that we do not have enough.
Gratefulness enables us to shift our thinking and begins to put us at ease, simply by focusing on what we have in this world rather than what we do not have.
A good psychological practice is to make it a daily practice.
To begin, simply list five things to be thankful for.
Notice the emotional shift that takes place as the focus of your attention shifts to a more positive outlook.
Perhaps Meister Eckhart was onto something.
