Surprisingly, G. K. Chesterton was only partially right when he wrote, “Gratitude, being nearly the greatest of human duties is also nearly the most difficult.” Gratitude is more than a duty; it is a lifestyle, that is, if we truly believe in the Eucharist for the word itself,
eucharistia, means thanksgiving.
Thus, we as teachers can help cultivate that lifestyle in our students by using activities in our classrooms that can help students become more aware of the connection between the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and being grateful in one’s daily life. Looking ahead to the next teaching year, you might want to prayerfully consider using these activities either as a preparation or follow-up for Thanksgiving, Advent or Lent.
One activity would be to discuss with your students how they think Jesus expressed gratitude. How was the Last Supper a meal of thanks? Include the history behind the Seder meal. Why do you think Jesus chose a meal to institute the Eucharist?
Be sensitive to those students who live in difficult situations. Those students can be included in the discussion with a generic question posed to the class such as: pick a city. This helps to give some distance to the question. What about adults and children who live there and are in difficult situations like being very ill, live in poverty or broken homes? How can they be grateful? For what can they be grateful?
Can someone say “thank you” and still not be grateful? What is gratitude? Why are people grateful?
After your discussion consider doing some activities to bring the idea of thanksgiving to life. For example, this summer on my way to visit my family, I stopped my car and approached a parked highway patrol car. I gave the officer a cold bottle of water then I thanked her for helping to keep us safe on our highways. The heat index that day was 105 degrees.
Teach your students to learn how to say thank you in as many languages as possible. Then have the students draw outlines of each other on long strips of white paper. Then have them write those words within the outline. Using calligraphy pens write thank you in those languages then intertwine it with the word Eucharist.
Find out if there are special ways of expressing appreciation in other countries. For example, Americans often send flowers or candy for this purpose. What are other ways of showing gratitude and saying thank you?
Act out various New Testament stories. Include a scene showing Jesus expressing thanks and gratitude. Research New Testament stories where Jesus does give thanks. Act those out as well. Act out Jesus’ parables that include the idea of thanks or gratitude.
Hold a prayer service to “Give Thanks in All Circumstances.” Pray a “give thanks” rosary, saying the phrase, “Thank You, Jesus”, “Thank you, Mary” on each bead. For example, “Thank You, Jesus,” “Thank you, Mary” for my faith. “Thank You, Jesus,” “Thank you, Mary” for _________. Fill in the blank. The students can make suggestions for what they are thankful for.
Read the give thanks passage from 1 Thess. 5:18– “In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” As part of the prayer to begin each class, allow the students a few minutes to write what they are thankful for in a gratitude journal. Creating a journal could be a class activity. Another option is to allow the students a few minutes quiet time at the beginning or at the end of class so they can talk with God and tell him thank you for what is happening in their lives.
Have the students check the new Eucharistic prayers. Number III ends with the phrase, “you (God) bestow on the world all that is good.” Move backwards in the prayer and list what some of those “good” things are. Are there other examples in the other Eucharistic prayers?
Have the students find quotes about gratitude. Have them bring the quotes to class. Act out the quotes or illustrate them. If two or more students happen to find the same quote, discuss why this quote might be more important to the class.
Let your students role play circumstances where they as well as adults can show gratitude to others. Which includes saying “thank you.” Brainstorm with your students on how the class could make saying thank you a habit.
Thank your students throughout the year for attending your class. This can be done as the students arrive or leave class. If you give your students small gifts for Christmas, include a note saying thank you. At the end of the year, it would be especially appropriate to thank your students and tell them what you learned from them. Also thank the parents–for sending their children–periodically via a phone call or a short note.
Share your faith story. Include the reason or reasons why you chose to teach. Also ask friends, relatives, the program director or your pastor to share their faith stories and why gratitude is important in their lives.
As teachers, we are privileged to partner with parents to help them raise their children. And parents today need all the help they can get.
William Shakespeare did get it right about the importance of gratitude when he wrote, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child (adult)” (
King Lear, Act 1, scene 4). Sadly, in the area of faith, how much more this is true.