A Thoughtful Approach to Gratitude by St. Thomas

Why be Genuinely Grateful?

November 23, 2023

Before starting this article, I would like to say I am thankful for all the readers of The Daily Thomist. It is one of my greatest joys to share the teachings of Saint Thomas and to encourage others to do the same and none of that would be possible without you. To show our appreciation, we spend hours on each article trying to condense as much of Thomas’ wisdom as possible into a simple, digestible five-minute email. We do the work, so you don’t have to. I hope these articles have helped you understand and love your faith that you have many occasions for gratitude this Thanksgiving. 

Now, on to Thomas…

When treating of gratitude, Thomas makes the observation that when someone benefits another, he is the cause of some goodness in the one he benefits. For example, if a 16-year-old kid’s parents were to give him a car, the generosity of the parents is the cause of the 16-year-old having a car. To sum up this idea: benefactors cause goodness in those whom they benefit.  

Thomas says this in the Summa:

…Every effect turns naturally to its cause; wherefore Dionysius says that God turns all things to Himself because He is the cause of all… Now it is evident that a benefactor, as such, is cause of the beneficiary. 

In a certain respect, when someone gives to another, the giver is to the receiver what God is to creation. God gives goodness to creatures and similarly, when someone gives a gift, they cause goodness in the receiver. And since “every effect turns naturally to its cause” we ought to turn to those who cause goodness in us with gratitude because they resemble God in our lives. 

Thomas continues: 

Hence the natural order requires that he who has received a favor should, by repaying the favor, turn to his benefactor according to the mode of each. And, as stated above … a man owes his benefactor, as such, honor and reverence, since the latter stands to him in the relation of principle…

To reiterate this point, Thomas thinks that God is preeminently the principle of every good and so we owe Him gratitude in the highest possible way (cf. James 1:17). However, others can participate in the beneficence of God and be principles of goodness. In the example above, it is true to say that God gave the teenager the car, but it is also true to say that his parents did. Both statements are true because God causes His creatures to be causes of goodness in others. God gives gifts to men through men. 

Someone who has the virtue of gratitude will see God working through their benefactor and will give him thanks as God’s instrument. The flip side of this truth is when we benefit our fellow man, we become like God to him insofar as we cause some goodness in him. Perhaps this is what Christ meant when He said “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). 

Thanks for reading… no really, thank you.