Yesterday, I received some bad news, which was nothing serious, but disappointing nonetheless. It got me thinking about hope. I would like to reflect on hope in a bit more detail in this post.
Here, again, is the Catechism of the Catholic Church's definition of hope, as found in paragraph 1817. "Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit."
Remember, a theological virtue is something infused by God, it is not something we can do on our own. We can practice and exercise this virtue, but only with God's grace, not by human effort. It makes sense because, looking at that definition, we can see why this act of virtue cannot be achieved by the normal human faculties. Man looks for his happiness elsewhere, not in God. Man trusts in money, or worldly wisdom, and many other things, before he places his trust in the Son of God. Man trusts more in his own strength than in the grace of the Holy Spirit.
What are some characteristics of the virtue of hope?
1) It takes the hopes that inspire our daily activities and orders them to the Kingdom. Exercising this virtue helps us desire the things of the Kingdom of God, above the things of this world, and act accordingly. This Kingdom, while only in its fullness in heaven, can begun to be experienced in this life.
2) It keeps us from discouragement. With hope, we place our trust in promises of solidarity and salvation from Divine Revelation. We know since those promises are from God, they will be fulfilled, and thus, we do not discouraged when things do not seemingly go as planned. We realize God is in control of everything. and that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28)
3) It sustains us in times of abandonment. With hope, we are given the strength to know that God always keeps his promises, and so, does not abandon us, despite appearances to the contrary. We follow Our Lord on the Cross who quoted Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", which may sound like He perhaps believed the Father had abandoned Him, but if you read Psalm 22 as a whole, it is much more an act of trust in God than anything else. Consider, for example, verse 24: For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him, but has listened to his cry for help." In referencing this Psalm, Christ was expressing hope. If it can sustain Our Lord in a time like that, it can sustain us in our trials.
4) It encourages us that we can indeed receive the happiness we are looking for. When we realize that we can be happy, now, and forever in heaven, we do not seek happiness in selfish pursuits, but rather in serving God and our fellow man.
So, hope can do some amazing things for us. If each person in the world would pray for the grace to receive this virtue, wow, the world could be a lot different place. If each of us would pray for the grace to receive this virtue, we would be less discouraged when things do not go our way, and even more importantly, we would more readily share the good news of Christ with others, and as a result, many more would be more conditioned to receive the awesome gift that is this virtue than seem to be today.
When I received my bad news yesterday, I immediately turned to the Lord, and was strengthened in hope that He has something better for me in mind than what I had planned. I am grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit in my life who gives me the grace to practice this virtue, and graciously convinces me of my sin when I do not.
In closing, I think it is worth posting Psalm 22 in its entirety. It can be the prayer of so many in the world today who are suffering. It is a graphic portrayal of sincere misery, but also, sincere hope, not hope from man, but hope from God. Jesus prayed this prayer often in His life, I am sure, but we know, based on Scripture, that it was at least at the forefront of His mind when he was suffering on the Cross for our salvation. If that is the case, it should be something we pray often in our lives, as well, as sharers in Christ's mission. I am confident that Our Lord's foster father Joseph was aware of this prayer, as well, and that it came to his mind during the challenging times in his life; when Mary became with child, fleeing Herod, losing Our Lord in the Temple, and others that we only may discover in heaven.
May good Saint Joseph intercede for us, and the entire world, to receive more of the wonderful virtue of hope.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.b
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.c
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
“He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
My mouthd is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they piercee my hands and my feet.
All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear youf I will fulfill my vows.
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!
All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!
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