“Ingratitude is the root of all sin.”
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola was the founder of the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic Church in 1540. If you know church history, you’ll know this is just a few decades after the start of the Protestant Reformation in 1517. And if you know much about the history of Western Civilization, you’ll know this isn’t just “church history” but part of the story of how our world came to be as it is today. These two streams, Protestantism and the formation of the Jesuits are part of a much larger movement that was happening during the 16th century.
One of the underlying currents resisting that larger movement was the belief that in order to be properly “religious” (i.e. devoted to the Lord through prayer, scripture, and service) one needed to be either a nobleman or a monk. Consequently, a major theme to come out of the Protestant Reformation in Europe was the recovery of the “priesthood of all believers”. In other words, every single follower of Jesus can serve in the capacity of priest and missionary. Similarly, it was possible (and necessary) to actually have a vital and living relationship with Jesus in the midst of an otherwise normal and busy life.
In England, this idea took root in some unique ways as a group emerged outside the Church of England known as the “Puritans”. With zeal for purity in the church and commitment to the Gospel (among other things), they emerged as a powerful fringe movement that often ran afoul of the church establishment (and the government). So in the early 1600s, they pursued the dream of a colony in which they could practice their faith and evangelize a continent. Thus the “pilgrims” came to the shores of Massachusetts and the conditions were set for the first “Thanksgiving”.
Meanwhile, back in mainland Europe, the Jesuit order stayed within the framework of the Catholic Church. Much of the spiritual shift happening in Protestantism was present in the life of Ignatius and his followers too. As a missionary society, the Jesuits were self described “contemplatives in action” seeking to “encounter God in all things”. One of the pillars of Ignatian spirituality came to be known as the “Examen” which was essentially a series of questions designed to review what God was doing in the life of an individual over the course of a given day.
What emerged was the conviction that gratitude was a central element of the spiritual life. If God is at work in and through all things, then ingratitude is a failure to recognize and worship God as he really is. Hence our fun quote from Ignatius at the top of this email!
The broad point in all this is that Thanksgiving is the perfect reminder to take stock of what God has done, is doing, and will do in your life. All the mistakes, errors, and sin flow from a failure to recognize God’s gifts in all of life. As you think of it, take stock for everything in your life and consider how it’s a gift…the good, the bad, and the ugly…it’s all a gift pointing us to the source and author of life.
From our family to yours, we want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! But even more, we want you to experience the joy of a life lived with God and an appreciation of his daily work in your life. We’re praying for you today and, as always, we’re grateful for your love, prayers, and support!
Stephen and Wendy are planting Inspire missional communities called ‘Houses of Healing’ in TN, USA’. Read more news and stories from the Hopkins HERE. Listen to the podcast HERE. Support Stephen and Wendy HERE.
