LOTS OF HOPE
Our hope for
the future isn't based in the ability to stir up our own strength to make it
through hard times. Our hope is based on faithfulness and steadfast love of our
heavenly Father.
Hope,
along with faith and love, is one of the Christian theological virtues for a
reason. Without the sense that the future has positive possibilities, the
present would be dismal indeed. Hope is a necessary condition for life itself.
Today
in the Gospel, Jesus points beyond the cross to another day when He says,
"You will grieve, but your grief will become joy" (Jn 16:20). The
disciples could hardly have prepared for the events of Good Friday, so Jesus
Christ cautions them about what would happen at the foot of the cross. But,
this suffering is not going to be the last word. Jesus' promise of joy echoes
in the psalms: "At dusk weeping comes for the night; but at dawn there is
rejoicing." It's about knowing God's saving deeds in the past and trusting
that God will act again in the future.
Our
hope for the future isn't based in the ability to stir up our own strength to
make it through hard times. Our hope is based on faithfulness and steadfast
love of our heavenly Father. As we read in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all
things through Him who strengthens me." This can be a helpful short daily
prayer we can say to remind us how much we need God in everything.
When
Jesus Christ points to joy beyond Good Friday's sorrow, He isn't simply saying
that even though things are hard, it will all turn out fine in the end. Rather,
Jesus' death and resurrection are the sign that God's new world is coming to
birth. It's His promise to us; no wonder the Church has us celebrate fifty days
of Easter with great joy!
In
the responsorial psalm we acclaim, "The Lord has revealed to the nations
His saving power" (Ps 98). We praise Him, for He has done wondrous deeds
for you and me.
All
we need to do is have lots of hope!