GRATITUDE...AN APPRECIATIVE HEART

Follow us on the web

Subscribe to the Diocese's Email List

Join to receive messages from His Grace and event reminders or update your information.

home › resources › literature › GRATITUDE...AN APPRECIATIVE HEART

"And Mary said, My soul MAGNIFIES the Lord, and my spirit hath REJOICED in God my Saviour. For He has REGARDED the lowly state of His maidservant: for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done GREAT things for me, and holy is His name." (Luke 1:46-49)

St. Mary sang these beautiful Holy Biblical verses to the Lord in response to Elizabeth's proclamation to her. Elizabeth proclaimed, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Luke 1:42). Overwhelmed with gratitude when foretold that she was to give birth to our Savior, St. Mary glorifies and rejoices in God with an appreciative heart.

Her very first thought and words are to praise the Lord.

St. Mary, a young girl full of gratitude and appreciation, was chosen to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. She was not selectively spoken to by the Angel of the Lord for her royal lineage, her business acumen or her monetary status. St. Mary loved the Lord, praised Him, glorified Him, and was filled with gratitude.

This angel succinctly sought out and explained to St. Mary that her Baby would be referred to as the "Son of the Most High" and preside over an everlasting kingdom. St. Mary, a benevolent and kind young girl, would illustrate an example of a positive attitude of appreciation as an example of unwavering acceptance of the message she had been given. Gratitude which would also assist to transpose her to become a universal example of serving others.

It cannot be overemphasized, St. Mary's role is numerous throughout the Holy Bible, but one foremost is her gratitude and appreciation. Practicing gratitude is an example of a life chosen to give the greatest birth imaginable of heavenly song. Magnifying, rejoicing, discernment empowered with belief, are all traits St. Mary illustrated upon receiving this proclamation and affirmation.

In general, medical research historically supports and illustriously sustains St. Mary's reaction to the words of the Angel of the Lord now more than ever. It is commonly written that practicing gratitude can most certainly increase mental health and well-being.

Gratitude and thankfulness are positive responses which can readily reduce stress and anxiety. They can improve mood. When you are thankful and appreciate your blessings— you exhibit calmness. An appreciative calm mind set can also improve sleep.

Thankfulness and gratitude for your blessings can improve heart health through many characteristics. These personality characteristics can improve relationships, enhance communication and understanding, and strengthen bonds among each other as Coptic Christians.

We sing praises to St. Mary for her exuberant gratitude which illustrated a virtuous cycle of thought, emotion, and behavior. The more you practice gratitude with St. Mary's example before you as faithful, as believing, as affirming, the more resilient you become, and the more you are able to appreciate the good things in life.

As we give homage to St. Mary and the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ let us remember her response to the proclamation and affirmation given by focusing on the positive outcomes in our daily lives and by practicing St. Mary's experience of gratitude.

May your daily lives be filled with the thoughts of St. Mary's exuberance and appreciation of life as she came to understand it through the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Mary, a humble young girl accepted her life with appreciation and gratitude, and is honorably distinguished historically as...

"The sovereign of the universe, the queen of all womanhood, through whom we have grace" (Coptic Synaxarion).

Metropoolitan Youssef
Metropolitan, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States