Being a good and devout Christian is tough. There are so many rules and obligations to follow.

The Ten Commandments give us a list of dos and don’ts. When it comes to Mass, the Church reminds us that there are holy days of obligation where our attendance is, well, mandatory. And then there is the dreaded love your neighbor (yes, the one whose dog is constantly barking) as yourself Bible verse. Trying to live up to all these expectations can be taxing, for the last thing we want to do is go and sin no more.

Then to add fuel to the proverbial fire, James reminds us, So, for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin. Alas, another sin to worry about. The dreaded sin of omission, of which we are reminded during the Penitential Act, that I have greatly sinned through my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do.

In a letter to the Portuguese Jesuits dated March 18, 1542, St. Ignatius expressed his thoughts about the worst sin of omission, that of ingratitude:

It seems to me, in light of the divine Goodness, though others may think differently, that ingratitude is one of the things most worthy of detestation before our Creator and Lord, and before all creatures capable of his divine and everlasting glory, out of all the evils and sins which can be imagined. For it is a failure to recognize the good things, the graces, and the gifts received. As such, it is the cause, beginning, and origin of all evils and sins.

On the contrary, recognition and gratitude for the good things and gifts received is greatly loved and esteemed both in heaven and on earth.

So, in keeping with the wisdom shared by Ignatius almost 500 years ago, today, as we do our Examen of Conscience, let us focus not so intently on our sins of commission, but rather on gratitude for all God has done for us. To see God in all things, from the air we breathe to the those we love, God is present in all. And let us see how the Holy Spirit is gently moving us toward all that is right and just.

As Fr. Andy Alexander, SJ, has often said, we live in a messy world, but if we can look past that and instead, with a grateful heart, focus on all the gifts we receive each day from God, we might be able to raise ourselves above the noise and discourse that surrounds us, to live in and enjoy the wonderful world God has created for us. And, maybe, just maybe, by our example, help those around us to also see the joy and beauty of finding God in all things.