EUCHARISTEO : THE HEART OF GRATITUDE
GRACE - GRATIA in Latin means “Free and Ready Favour”
EUCHARISTEO - from the root word “CHARIS” whIch means “Grace”.
CHARA - means “joy”, the goal of fuller life.
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EUCHARISTEO means GRACE, GIVING THANKS, JOY!!!
These were the very words that the Ladies of the Cathedral of the King learned that 1st Saturday of July, as they gathered for their bi-monthly Ladies Fellowship Meeting.
Simple words that have been heard of so many times but most forgotten when faced with seemingly painful, hard and trying times.
Yes, how can one be thankful when beset with unhappy events or seemingly moments of defeat, or when one is going through a time of pain, struggle and darkness?
Spearheaded and facilitated by Sis. Ting Librojo through a short Exhortation from the Word of God, the answers slowly unfolded through a short video documentary called “Attitude of Gratitude”, straight from the heart of a Canadian woman of God, Ann Voskamp.
The video started off with Ann’s memorable photographs taken by her own self. Her subjects were mostly her children, her home, her garden, their farm, her very own family. Ann saw beauty in everything that she does. Even in every mundane thing, thanksgiving abounded to the Creator who created her and everything around her.
Like us, Ann is just an ordinary woman. Just like many of us she had a simple childhood, had dreams and aspirations in life. Just like us, she is not spared from pain and shakening of faith. Even in that fateful moment when she saw her dear sister literally snatched by death at an early age - right before their very eyes. A painful event that made their family broken and torn into pieces, that only a miracle from God can restore wholeness to their shattered faith in Him.
Even when as a young woman, she witnessed slowly the passing away of a mother because of a lingering mental illness.
Just like Ann, how can we express “Eucharisteo – thankfulness” when we are going through a tough time? .…of pain, struggle and suffering and darkness?
Ann Voskamp shares her secret. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning US.
Have we set aside the thought that God is in control? Every moment, every day, God has a plan, a purpose, and we need to have that consciousness to be thankful at all times. This is why God is good all the time! Thanksgiving precedes a MIRACLE. Eucharisteo, grace, giving thanks, joy!
2 Chronicles 20 verses 12 -22 show us what true thanksgiving is all about. With our eyes focused on God, we give thanks to the Lord for His loving kindness is everlasting! For the battle we may all be facing is not ours but the Lord’s. We need not fight these battles; all we need to do is stand and see the salvation of the Lord. But we need to give thanks to the Lord in order to achieve the VICTORY!
Victory cannot be received with hands closed like a fist, fighting and grappling. We need to open our hands and give thanks. Giving thanks keep our eyes on the Lord.
Ann Voskamp encourages us to make the invisible visible, to see things beautiful even in minutest things. Furthermore, she urges us to start writing the gifts around us – gifts that God bestows us daily. Writing them down is like unwrapping His love. A life album in miniature; 1000 ways of thanking God!
Indeed, the secret is the heart of gratitude. It is facing all moments of our lives with grace, strength, and with joy. As long as saying thanks is possible, joy is always possible. How can a life filled with Eucharisteo profit us? It is when we bring delight to the heart of God. It is when we enter the full life of our Faith by giving thanks.
Colossians 3: 16 & 17 exhorts us with these: “LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD.
AND WHATSOEVER YOU DO IN WORD OR DEED, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD AND THE FATHER BY HIM.”
Having been blessed and guided by Eucharisteo, the Ladies’ Fellowship culminated with a Group Activity. Each assigned Group started by thanking God for the good gifts He has bestowed to each one.
By confessing and making their gifts known to one another, thanksgiving to God like a fragrant aroma permeated the throne room of God. A fragrant aroma indeed! Just like when Mary poured out that perfume from that alabaster box and wiped the feet of Jesus. What a fragrant aroma indeed when we offer our praises & thanksgiving, our lives unto our Lord.
Then one final thing sealed the Ladies Fellowship Meeting – prayers and thanksgiving for one another. Praise and thanksgiving for answered prayers, for family events and celebrations and most of all for victory over sin, sickness and even death.
In prayer, remembering other family members and friends that they too will discover the truth that GRACE, THANKSGIVING, and JOY, can be theirs through an intimate and living relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord. EUCHARISTEO! Glory, Honor & Thanksgiving be unto our God!