The Parent of All Other Virtues

According to the ancient Roman philosopher Cicero, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others." We call virtues like hope and honesty and humility the gifts of the Spirit. Not the wages or earnings or burdens or obligations or responsibilities of the Spirit, but gifts of the Spirit. The only way to truly and sincerely receive a gift is with gratitude. Gratitude gives birth to, fosters, nurtures, raises and supports all of the other virtues. With gratitude, we acknowledge God as the ultimate source of all that is good and especially of the virtues and gifts of the Spirit that He blesses us with. Gratitude does not give space for pride and ego to get in the way of us receiving and exercising our gifts of the Spirit. Gratitude does not allow impatience to prematurely stunt our spiritual development. Gratitude does not permit greed or lust or obsession to transform our virtues into vices. Gratitude strengthens and uplifts and enobles and empowers all of our other virtues, just as any good parent would. If we are striving to live a more virtuous life, we must first have gratitude, the greatest and the parent of all other virtues.