De gratitudine animae pro omni bono
The Heart of Gratitude
True gratitude recognizes the greatness of God in every gift, however small, and responds with love and humility.
Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. That person praises God magnificently who offers the greatest thanks for even the smallest blessings, because the One who gives is the greatest above all things. Nothing that the Most High freely gives you out of grace should seem small or worthless to you. God seeks and requires nothing more than that He be loved freely, that every offense be avoided, and that gratitude be returned to Him always and everywhere.
The Way of the Humble Sufferer
The soul reaches spiritual maturity by embracing humility and finding joy in suffering, mirroring the patience of Job.
Great is the person before God who, out of true humility, despises and humbles themselves, and judges themselves unworthy of all goods and blessings, neither vainly exulting in any good nor craving praise. Yet greater is the one who, like Job, when struck, despised, insulted, impoverished, neglected, tempted, afflicted, mocked, and confused, still gives thanks, rejoices, and offers blessings, even in all these burdens! They count the exiles that come their way as the greatest gains, endure them for God's sake, and stop complaining. Blessed is the one who, like Job, piously accepts the rod of sorrow from the hand of God, and offers and commits themselves entirely to the divine will. Blessed is the one who always seeks and chooses what pleases God more; who embraces humble things instead of luxuries; who remains more joyful when injured; and who considers a temporal loss to be a gain for the soul.
Read the original Latin
Magnificate Dominum mecum: et exaltemus nomen eius in idipsum. Ille magnifice Deum laudat; qui de minimis etiam beneficiis gratias maximas agit: quia ille dat qui super omnia maximus est. Nil tibi parvum nec vile esse debet quod Altissimus tibi ex gratia libere praestat. Non quaerit Deus nec exigit aliquid magis quam ut gratis ametur; et omnis offensa caveatur: atque gratitudo semper et ubique ei reddatur. Magnus coram Deo est: qui se ex vera humilitate spernit et substernit et omnibus bonis et beneficiis indignum se iudicat: nec in aliquo bono vane exultat nec laudem concupiscit. Maior tamen ille qui sicut Iob percussus contemptus conviciatus, depauperatus, neglectus, temptatus, afflictus derisus, et confusus gratias agit, laetatur et benedicit; et omnia gravamina! et exilia sibi contingentia pro maximis lucris computat et propter Deum sustinet: et conqueri cessat. Beatus qui virgam doloris sicut Iob de manu Dei pie accipit: et totaliter voluntati divinae se offert et committit.
Beatus qui hoc semper quaerit et eligit quod Deo magis placet: et pro deliciis vilia capit; et laesus laetior manet: et damnum temporale animae lucrum reputat.
The Little Garden of Roses & The Valley of Lilies companion
Fourteen readings down. The other 39 chapters are waiting.
Chosen Portion serves the complete Little Garden and Valley of Lilies — plus the Imitation — as daily portions.
These treatises were composed as brief daily counsels for a community's rhythm of reading, and Chosen Portion delivers them the same way: one short chapter each morning.
- All 53 chapters of both treatises in modern readable English
- A new short reading delivered every morning, no deciding what's next
- Complete both treatises in under two months at one chapter a day