MONTHLY UNIVERSAL WORSHIP SERVICE

"Gratefulness"

WE READ IN THE WORLD SCRIPTURES:

We read in the Hindu Scriptures:

"Whatever you do, or eat, or give, or offer in adoration, let it be an offering to me; and whatever you suffer, suffer it for me.
Thus thou shalt be free and come to me.
Give me thy mind and give my thy heart, give me thy offerings and thy adoration;
And thus with thy soul in harmony, and making me thy goal supreme, thou shalt in truth come to me."

We offer to the omniscient God our reverence, our homage and our gratitude for the light of the Divine Wisdom.

We read in the Buddhist Scriptures:

"This day my birth is fruitful, my human life a blessing; this day have I been born in the race of the Enlightened, now am I their son. And henceforth mine is the task of them who work worthily of their race. This thought of Enlightenment has arisen within me I know not how, even as a gem might be gotten by a blind man from a dunghill. It is an elixir made to destroy death in the world, an unfailing treasure to relieve the world's poverty, a supreme balm to allay the world's sickness … For the caravan of beings who wander through life's paths hungering to taste of happiness, this banquet of bliss is prepared, that will satisfy all creatures coming to it. I summon today the world to the estate of Enlightenment, and meanwhile to happiness."

We offer to the omniscient God our reverence, our homage and our gratitude for the light of the Divine Compassion.

We read in the Zoroastrian Scriptures:

"Do Thou, O Mazda, O Great Creator! Come to me, with Thy Creative Mind! And do Thou, Who bestoweth gifts through Thy Cosmic Order, bestow alike long-lasting gifts upon us, that this life may be spent aright.
Do Thou, by means of Thy lofty words, bestow the powerful spiritual help upon Zarathustra and upon us. The best of all gifts, therefore, do I beseech of Thee, O Thou Best of Beings, Ahura Mazda, Thou Who art One in will with Thy Cosmic Law!…
All these gifts of the Good Spirit have been offered back in gratitude unto Thee, by the Mind and the Deed of the generous man whose soul goeth forth hand in hand in homage toward Thee, O Mazda and with Invocations of thankful devotees.
What is, then Thy Kingdom, O Mazda? What are Thy riches?
Thine Own, in my actions, that I may become Living with the Cosmic Order and Thy Good Mind."

We offer to the omniscient God our reverence, our homage and our gratitude for the light of the Divine Purity.

We read in the Jewish Scriptures:
"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord He is God;
It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves.
We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise;
Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting;
And His truth endureth to all generations."

We offer to the omniscient God our reverence, our homage and our gratitude for the light of the Divine Law.

We read in the Christian Scriptures:

"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand. And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope putteth not to shame, because the love of God is spread abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."

We offer to the omniscient God our reverence, our homage and our gratitude for the light of the Divine Self-sacrifice.

We read in the Scriptures of Islam:

"It is He who sends down water from the sky, which provides drink for you and brings forth the crops on which your cattle feed. And thereby He brings up corn and olives, dates and grapes and other fruit. Surely in this there is a sign for thinking men. He has forced the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, into your service. The stars also serve you by His leave. Surely in this there are signs for men of understanding. On the earth He has fashioned for you objects of various hues. Surely in this there is a sign for prudent men. It is He who has subjected to you the ocean, so that you may eat of its fresh fish and bring up from it ornaments with which to adorn your person. Behold the ships ploughing their course through it. All this He has created, that you may seek His bounty and render thanks to Him … If you reckoned up Allah's blessings you could not count them."

We offer to the omniscient God our reverence, our homage and our gratitude for the light of the Divine Unity.

We read in the Gayan:

"How shall I thank Thee, my King, for Thy bountiful gifts? Every gift Thou givest me, my generous Lord, is invaluable. A tongue of flame arose from the spark in my heart by Thy gentle blowing. Thou dost hear my softest whisper; Thou hast taught me Thine own tongue and to read the character written by Thy pen."

We offer to the omniscient God our reverence, our homage and our gratitude for the light of the Divine Truth.

The subject today is 'Gratitude'

"The blessing of life is the consciousness of the blessing."

Gratitude is described as one of the 'fine feelings' along with tenderness, love and sympathy. It is creative of that beauty of character which makes personality fragrant.

One's devotion, love and friendship for God can make, through the fragrance of gratitude, the whole of creation a source of happiness. If we realize that we are in the house of God, the One whom we love, then however humble and difficult the situation in life, it must become, sooner or later, happier and better, because we felt that we are in the house of the one we love, we admire, and all that we meet with we take with love.

Sa'adi teaches gratefulness to God for all the blessings and benefits of life, including the kindness and love received from parents, friends and teachers. He says,

"Praise be to Allah, the worship of whom is the means of drawing closer to Him, and the giving of thanks to whom involves an increase of benefits. Every breath which is inhaled prolongs life, and when exhaled it quickens the frame. In every breath, therefore, two blessings are contained, and for every blessing a separate thanksgiving is due."

And, 'The sun and moon and the rain and clouds, are all busy to prepare your food for you, and it is unfair indeed if you do not appreciate it in thanksgiving."

Gratefulness is an attribute of humanity, amongst others such as kindness, faithfulness, justice, modesty, sympathy, reverence, bravery, patience, love, knowledge and wisdom. And if the spiritual journey is anything, it is surely the path of the perfection of the human personality. And every step on that path brings a rich store of happiness both to oneself and to others.