Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Today I was confronted by a question about which I have prayed often. When certain tragedy lies before us, “Where is the hope?” Some situations can truly seem hopeless. It may be the loss of a job, or the loss of a loved one, facing the reality which one has had thrust upon them. This hopelessness can lead us to look at life with eyes of fear and uncertainty. Truly in the midst of the pouring rain of suffering it is difficult to believe the sun will shine again.
Where is the hope? In the midst of the darkness and tears, answers are hard to find. And the answer we seek is often not the one we will be given. Our secular culture reinforces hopelessness by leading us to believe that the end of life means the end of hope. It is as if the culture is training people to see life as futile, almost black and white.
Still, where is the hope? If hope is a way of looking at the tough situations and indeed the whole of life with eyes of faith, then the world is filled with color. Hope becomes the lenses through we see everything. Hope in the midst of tragedy does not say that in this very moment "everything is ok". Instead, hope is a promise that in the new reality that unfolds, eventually everything will be okay.
We find these eyes of hope in St. Paul who was a prisoner for The Lord, and yet saw his shackles as temporary in light of eternity. Even in chains, Paul’s color filled world enabled him to give thanks to God and saw his hope in heaven, not only for himself but for all faithful disciples. Jesus in the gospels heals the sick and let's them know that beyond the physical ailments is the Kingdom of God. Even death on a Friday, which we now call Good, was not without hope for those who believed.
"Lord, train our eyes to recognize your presence in the midst of our suffering. Help us move beyond the empty spaces that are the tombs in our hearts, so that we might have hope in You. Grant us we pray, that hope leads us to life with You now and forever. Amen."
- Michael Montgomery