Is Hope Possible?

Before hoping for something, we must determine if hope is possible. Can we really obtain it? This must be answered before desiring for something. I live in a city, would I desire a horse knowing that farm animals are not permitted? Certainly not! Therefore, before hoping for something, I must know it is possible and desire it with all my heart.

Most people take oxygen for granted, until they have problem breathing. Similarly, we don't realize the importance of hope, in our daily lives, until it is shattered or taken away from us. Without the virtue of hope, all life withers away. Just last week, a 16-year old youth hanged himself, because the coach threatened to remove him from the hockey team. About the same time, a 22-year old woman drowned herself after a heated argument with her boy friend.

Each day, thousands of young people commit suicide. Their night falls fast, because they give up hope too soon. Somehow, they cannot see beyond their present difficulties. When we look around us at the moment we hear people talking about war, about so many things going wrong in the world, the decline of the Church with all the scandals and also the lack of vocations, churches are empty and it can go on and on. Have we lost hope? Can we still talk about hope in our society, in our Church or are we doomed and there is no more place for the virtue of hope?

Christian hope is God oriented. It excludes the Christian's own ability or the help of others. It is a hope that places God first because "curse are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord." [Jer. 17:5] Therefore, Christians should remember that hope involves something that is possible to obtain, is desired, is difficult to obtain and is supplied by the grace of God rather than by the efforts of men. In this issue I have decided to invite you to meditate on hope.

One of the most important distinctions I have learned in my life is the difference between optimism and hope. Optimism is the belief that things will get better. Hope is the faith that, together, we can make things better. Optimism, is a passive virtue, hope an active one. It takes no courage to be an optimist, but it takes a great deal of courage to have hope.

Hope is the virtue that makes us crave for the Kingdom of God. Having heard of the Kingdom of God, we want to go there. The virtue of hope stirs us to desire eternal life as our final happiness. It draws us to place our trust in the promises of Jesus Christ, relying on the grace and help of the Holy Spirit to achieve this final goal. "Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful." [Heb. 10:23]

Hope answers our strong burning desires for happiness, a desire that God has implanted in every heart. As Friends of the Holy Face of Jesus we nourish this desire by contemplating the Face of Jesus daily. Our contemplation gives us the strength so we will not become discouraged. It supports us when we feel deserted or feel that the world surrounding us is "a real mess". Hope makes our hearts shine in anticipation of eternal supreme blessedness that we anticipate in the contemplation of the Holy Face. Encouraged by the virtue of hope, we are preserved from self-concern, leading us to greater happiness that comes from charity as it is said in the Catholic Church Catechism: "The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man; it takes up the hopes that inspire men's activities and purifies them so as to order them to the Kingdom of heaven; it keeps man from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude. Buoyed up by hope, he is preserved from selfishness and led to the happiness that flows from charity. (C.C.C. # 1818)

Through Christian hope, God's children have their hope fulfilled. Hope was observed in Abraham who was the model of Christians. Abraham was purified by God when he was tested, having been asked to sacrifice his son. [Gen. 22:1-18] Consequently, God blessed Abraham abundantly. [Gen. 17:4-8] "Hoping against hope, Abraham believed that he would become 'the father of many nations' according to what was said." [Rom. 4:18] "Christian hope takes up and fulfills the hope of the chosen people which has its origin and model in the hope of Abraham, who was blessed abundantly by the promises of God fulfilled in Isaac, and who was purified by the test of the sacrifice. "Hoping against hope, he believed, and thus became the father of many nations." (C.C.C. # 1819)

Christian hope originated when Jesus preached the beatitudes. [Mt. 5:1-12] Through the beatitudes, we began to long for the Promised Land, our souls hoping towards Heaven. We now participate in the race to receive an imperishable wreath. [1 Cor. 9:25] We are prepared to face persecution because Jesus was also persecuted. [Jn. 15:20]

We should never view suffering as a sign that God has abandoned us. Rather, we should wholeheartedly thank God for the suffering, accepting these trial as a test in faith, which will lead to his sanctification, bringing about endurance, character and hope. [Rom. 5:3-4] Through the grace of Jesus, the Lord's suffering and death on the Holy Cross, the Friend of the Holy Face has a "hope that does not disappoint, God's love having been poured into his heart through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to him." [Rom. 5:5] Hope is one of the weapons of the Armour of God. It protects us in our battle for salvation. During hardships, we maintain hope. "Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer." [Rom. 12:12] In prayer, our hope is expressed and provides us with the necessary grace for life and growth.

This hope is especially found in the 'Our Father', the most beautiful prayer, which Jesus has taught. It includes all what the hope of the Christian heart desires to achieve: "Christian hope unfolds from the beginning of Jesus' preaching in the proclamation of the beatitudes. The beatitudes raise our hope toward heaven as the new Promised Land; they trace the path that leads through the trials that await the disciples of Jesus. But through the merits of Jesus Christ and of his Passion, God keeps us in the 'hope that does not disappoint.'(Rom 5:5 ) Hope is the 'sure and steadfast anchor of the soul . . . that enters . . . where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.' (Heb 6:19-20) Hope is also a weapon that protects us in the struggle of salvation: 'Let us . . . put on the breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.' (1Thess 5:8.) It affords us joy even under trial: 'Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation.'(Rom 12:12) Hope is expressed and nourished in prayer, especially in the Our Father, the summary of everything that hope leads us to desire." (C.C.C. # 1820)

In the 'Our Father', the Christian anchors his hope on God. He "trusts in Him at all times; pouring out his heart before Him." [Ps. 62:8] "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." [Ps. 118:9] The Christian should not put his trust in men [Job. 4:18], only hoping in God. Then, the Christian realizes that "the Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seek Him." [Lam. 3:25]

Finally, hope includes the desire of something that is difficult to obtain. If the unemployment rate is extremely low because there are many jobs available, there is no hope involved. A person can go out and get a job. But if the unemployment is very high and the person has been unemployed for months, then there is hope that his prayer will be answered and he will secure a job. The hope is then possible, desired and difficult to obtain. It meets all the characteristics of the virtue of hope.

We are obligated to hope for the glory that God has promised. "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God." [Rom 8:28] This glory is the reward of those who obey Him. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in Heaven." [Mt. 7:21]

We should pray for the grace of God, to be strengthen in our hope, to endure to the end and be saved. [Mt. 10:22] Hoping on behalf of all, the Church directs its prayers to God, "desiring that everyone be saved." [1 Tim. 2:4] The burning desire of the Church is to one day be united with Jesus Christ, her Bridegroom [Mt. 25:6], to share in the glory of Heaven: " We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will. In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere "to the end" and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God's eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ. In hope, the Church prays for "all men to be saved." She longs to be united with Christ, her Bridegroom, in the glory of heaven: Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end." (C.C.C. # 1821)

Through hope, we experience an ongoing burning longing deep within his soul. With faithful trust, we anticipate from God the promised eternal life and the meriting grace to deserve it.

Hope is a virtue that is meant to be shared with other Christians. It is awakened within the soul through the grace of the Almighty Father, such action having been planned before the creation of time. In love for others, the living Christian should witness regarding this Divine blessing which he has received. In his heart, he should sanctify Christ as Lord. He should always be ready to make his defence to anyone who demands from him an accounting for the hope that is in him. [1 Pet. 3:15]

His account should be given with gentleness and reverence. The Christian must keep his conscience clear, so that, when he is slandered, those who abuse him for his good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. [1 Pet. 3:16]

The virtue of hope is a blessing of the Lord that is granted to the Christian, God having willed this before the creation of the world. As a grace of God, it has been given to the Christian through abounding Divine love. Through the Holy Spirit, God's love and grace progresses and maintains the hope of the Christian. In pursuit towards the reward of hope, the Christian has sufficient graces from the virtue of hope to encourage him to search for the greater purpose of life.

Similar to other gifts provided by the grace of God, hope increases in amount based on the Christian's spiritual progress.

Every Christian hopes for the greater things of life. Although this self-motivating hope begins as an ordinary hope, it is still a hope towards happiness. This inborn hope has been rooted in every soul through the goodness and grace of God. God hears the call of His servant which He has made to hope. [Ps. 119:49]

As the Christian searches in faith towards the better things of life, he hopes to find the answer that will bring him an extremely happy existence. Through the Holy Spirit, by faith, the Christian eagerly waits for the hope of righteousness. [Gal. 5:5]

Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Christian's faithful pursuit in hope of finding joy and peace is directed towards the truth of God. The knowledge of truth results from faith in God. From faith and the knowledge of truth, the Christian can then have hope, directing his intention towards the right goal.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the God of hope fills the Christian with joy and peace in believing so that he may abound in hope. [Rom. 15:13]

The new found increased hope directs the Christian towards God, remembering to perform His works and to obey His commandments. [Ps. 78:7]

We hold firmly in God. We do not want God to take away the Words of truth in which so much hope has been placed. [Ps. 119:43] We, who seek hope, are then directed towards Jesus Christ.

Having been guided by the Holy Spirit towards Jesus Christ, we welcome Jesus, the Son of God, as our new hope. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God the Saviour, placed his hope in Jesus Christ Who was his hope. [1 Tim. 1:1]

In our continued search for eternal life, we study the Scriptures, the Word of God. We learn that whatever things were written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope. [Rom. 15:4]

This hope, eternal life, comes from God who cannot lie, having been promised to us before the world began. [Tit. 1:2] To attain eternal life and from the study of the Scripture, we learn that we must strive further towards the hope that leads to salvation.

Our hope is now becoming our vision for the day of glory when "the Lord will become King over all the earth; on that day the Lord will be One and His Name One." [Zech. 14:9] This why every Friend of the Holy after having contemplated Jesus in his Holy Face can say: "Come Lord Jesus!"

Salvation is the end result that the Friend of the Holy Face aims for. It is his assurance of eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

This is why we must always remain alert so we will not be misled in false hopes that will turn us away from our salvation. The hope of money is a false hope, being the root of all evil. The Christian who "is eager to be rich will wander away from the faith and pierce himself with many pains." [1 Tim. 6:10]

The Christian who "forgets God will perish; the hope of the godless shall perish." [Job 8:13] "What is the hope of the godless when God cuts them off, when God takes away their lives?" [Job. 27:8]

"When the wicked die, their hope perishes, and the expectations of the godless comes to nothing." [Prov. 11:7]

The more time we spend in front of the Holy Face of Jesus, the more we should be able to run away from false hopes, never believing that there is a lot of time remaining to attend to our salvation and the salvation of souls. We should attend to our salvation and the salvation of souls now while there is hope, while the grace, mercy and patience of God remains waiting.

In His infinite goodness, the God of hope fills us with joy and peace in believing so he will abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. [Rom. 15:13] This is one of the many earthly rewards bestowed upon us who seek his Face.

We know that "love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It hears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things." [1 Cor. 13:4-7]

When we hope for something, we must know within reason that there is a possibility that we will achieve this goal. One may say, can I obtain the Kingdom of God? If I cannot, my hope and prayers would be a waste of time. The assurance is my faith and hope in the Words of Jesus. Jesus said: "Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom." [Lk. 12:32]

Yes, you can hope again, even when the world, as you know it, is disintegrating right before your eyes. You can hope can, when you, with your trembling, feeble hands, embrace life in the valley of death. You can hope can, when your eyes are open to the enchanting, transcendental reality beyond the physical realm.

Michel Nolin asf