One’s own attitude towards life, its meaning, origin and destiny, contributes greatly for one’s own basic disposition. If life is considered to be a right, which all that exists is to defend and be at its service, part of the natural development of the cosmos, with an inherent drive for survival, than living in arrogance becomes understandable.

If, on the other hand, life is considered to be a gift, a gift that exists in mutual dependence on so many other gifts, with an inherent drive, that comes with the gift, for Life, for Eternal Life that goes beyond death, than it becomes unthinkable not to be grateful.

Arrogance points to the destructive element not only in human history, but even in environmental issues. Arrogance is self destructive. Putting myself at the center of the universe, instead of leading towards life, invites death. Arrogance breeds arrogance, provokes arrogance. Ultimately, arrogance leads to a power struggle. And instead of favoring interdependence, promotes independence, social exclusion, racial discrimination, ideological, cultural or religious hatred.

Gratitude celebrates life and generates life. Gratitude is conceived through openness and give birth to openness. Gratitude has no pretense and accepts everything and everyone no matter its size, worth, or wrapping. Gratitude fosters interdependence, communion, unity, multiculturalism, inter-religious dialogue, ecumenism.

Can an arrogant person ever become grateful? Think about it.

Our human condition and experience tell us that even an arrogant person, one day or another encounters some form of need. He may even find himself in extreme need, like the need of being healed of leprosy, of being outcast. In his arrogance, he pretends that someone attends to his needs. Of course, help will never come from people like him. Thank God, not all the people are arrogant. There are also compassionate and merciful people; people who help other people, without considering whether those in need deserve it or not! But do you think such a person, after receiving the help, healing and integration he seeks, will ever be grateful?

Gratitude is not just saying thank you. One can be educated to say thank you when receiving some favor. One may sometimes remember to say thank you. But gratitude is a question of having a particular outlook; it comes from one’s basic attitude in life. Gratitude is the fruit of another type of vision, which the arrogant lacks. A grateful person goes beyond what he sees or experiences around him. A grateful person is a man of faith: he believes that everything is a gift gratuitously given to him. A grateful person believes that he himself, his very person, his very life, is a gift given to him even before he could do anything to deserve it.

Faith heals. It does not only heal of physical, psychological and social illness, but it also heals spiritually.