My HOPE is in the Lord

"Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled." Luke 1:45

 

Mary is blessed because she believed that the Lord would come through with His promises to her, to His people.  I think back to the story of Zechariah, who also had an angel appear to him with a special message from God.  His response was a little more doubtful than Mary’s and thus the Angel struck him mute to teach Zechariah (and generations to come) an important lesson.  Even though Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were very devout and faithful Jews, I wonder if there was something missing in Zechariah’s heart that caused him to doubt the fulfillment of the Angels’ words?  What did Mary have that he didn’t?

Could it be true fulfillment of true hope in his heart?  Is it possible he could have lost it along the way in all those years of praying and yearning for a child with his wife Elizabeth?

 

“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”. (Catechism 1818)

“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. “(95 St. Teresa of Avila, Excl.

15:3)

Have you ever lost hope in something?  Or because of a negative attitude or fears, been “doubtful of what is certain”?  

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 (Catechism 1821)

As I mentioned in my previous blog, although we sometimes can’t name it – we long to obtain the joy of heaven and to be united with Christ.  For me this Advent season has felt long, but has held some good lessons on Hope.  It is my prayer that none of us ever lose hope, in God and His dreams for our salvation, but also in our own dreams.  What do you want, what do you dream of?  Do you believe God will bring it to you, that He will provide for you in the way that’s absolutely best for you?

We don’t know the hour the answer to our prayers will arrive. As we wait for Christmas and ultimately the Second Coming – we wait hopefully and we lovingly listen in faith.

 

Wait for the Lord, His day is near
Wait for the Lord, be STRONG, take HEART!! (Taize)

 

May these final days of Advent bring you an ever-deepening sense of HOPE in your heart! Peace and Blessings to all of you!

 

 

 

Come, Lord Jesus

"What do you WANT?"  These were the opening words of Jean Vanier's (Founder of L'Arche International) address to a gathering of youth, young adults and members of several L'Arche communites in Prince George, BC in 2004.  I remember being deeply impacted by this, not only because it is a surprising way to greet a crowd of people full of excitement and anticiatpion but because even before these words were said - you could feel an intense holy presense emanate from the man as he entered the gymnasium.  And when you feel a presence like that, something in you perks up and LISTENS.

Now we are in the season of Advent, a season of waiting.  Waiting for what?  Waiting for what we want. And I'm not talking about the latest iPad or new VW.  What is it in the depths our hearts, the common vision we all share, no matter where on earth we dwell or our beliefs/disbeliefs?  We wait for Christ, a deeper revelation of His Incarnation in our lives: yesterday, today and in the future.  We wait for the fulfillment of His Kingdom, for justice to be meted out, for peace, harmony and a deep sense of freedom.  We wait for belonging, and a sense of being loved and of being free to deeply love others, even strangers. Some of us may go through life with never having the words for these desires. Some may not know this possibility exists or may not choose to travel within themselves to discover the existence of these desires.  There is a myriad of beautiful ways to do this but I won't explore them in this post.  I do want to say that the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, in their formation program have provided me and many other young women an immersion in an environment where we can really be in touch with our hearts and find in ourselves the treasure within our souls - Jesus Christ.  And with this knowledge, it is only natural for any person who encounters Christ and His goodness to want to pass it on :) Goodness is diffussive of itself ;)  Praise the Lord for His goodness!

Ron Rolheiser speaks of the "Theology of Longing and Desire" in an article I read recently, and I just want to share some of the images that touched me (some are scriptural).  And may I suggest that you  read these slowly and allow them to speak to you: "luxuriate in embrace", "all-embracing union", "consummation", "the lamb lying with the lion", "the valleys being filled in", "the mountains made low".  I love when he says "In our longing we INTUIT the Kingdom and EXPERIENCE Advent"

So Jean Vanier's question to us back in 2004 was and still is completely relevant today.  I remember that he reminded us that God speaks to us in our desires, our deep desires.  Advent is not just a season of waiting, but of hope.  What do you desire?  What are you hopeful for?  He wants you to discover, talk to Him about it and lead you closer to Him in the process.

Blessings during this Advent season and may He find us ready to recieve Him, and may we look forward to that "all-embracing" union with our Loving God.