Ronan Scully of Self Help Africa
No matter what has happened today, don't lose hope. Hold on to hope as much as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. Much love and Easter blessings to each of you. Be kind every chance you get. The ripple effect, if visible, would astound you.
What the world needs now is hope. Hope transforms you, it transforms me, and it is only as transformed hope-filled people that we will be able to bring such urgently needed hope to the world: to our own personal world of family, friends and acquaintances, but also to the world as a whole. One little drop of hope has far reaching consequences for all of humanity.
As Desmond Tutu who sadly passed away recently said, "Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” They say that a “man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.” Hope can be the difference between success and failure. You can withstand so much if you know you have people who support you and are looking out for you. You can face just about anything, as long as you don’t lose the hope that you can succeed.
Even hope and faith as tiny as a mustard seed can produce mountainous amounts of blessings. Hope is a positive and potent spiritual practice that has the power and influence to pull us through difficult times. Hope is the basic ingredient of optimism, a tendency to dwell on the best possibilities. It is often described as a metaphor such as a ray, a beam, a glimmer of hope; the break in the clouds; the light at the end of the dark tunnel. Hope can often be revealed in unexpected places or through others. Hope is energizing. Certain attitudes or virtues can support the development of hope in our lives. Hope can be learned with practice.
One attitude or virtue that supports a deepened sense of hope in our lives is patience, an ability to tolerate set-backs, and a willingness to let events unfold in their own time. The other is courage, an attitude of confidence even when facing the unfamiliar. A third is persistence, the determination to keep on going no matter what happens. We have hope when we can say, "everything will be ok‟, and we mean it. Without hope, we find it difficult to be patient and can be easily frustrated. We may lack the courage to continue struggling against hardship.
We are often easily discouraged. The common expression, "Hope for the best, but expect the worst" implies the worst. When we are without hope, we easily fall victim to such negativism. When the light of hope is absent, we are overcome by gloom and doom, despair and negativity. Hope gives us enthusiasm, courage and drive to continue moving forward in every situation. Each of us carries within our hearts the seeds of enduring hope. With a conscious effort and committed action, and rooted in God's love, our hopes have the power to transform our lives and the lives of others.
Hope challenges us
When “life happens,” people are tempted to give up hope. It must feel like that today for the people of the Ukraine where I have spent many weeks over the last 50 days of war who just experienced the horror and evil of the Russian invasion and whose lives have been ripped apart by the cruel bombings and gunfire. “Life happened” over the last few weeks and months in Ukraine and the war blew away a lifetime of work, life and memories. Homes, possessions, towns, cities, livestock, and livelihoods – all destroyed in weeks of evil carnage.
I wonder what emotions they must be feeling. How would I feel? Would I still have hope? Have you ever had the sense that the virtue of “hope” gets short-changed in our Christian experience? We focus on faith in Jesus. We focus on loving God and our neighbor. But do we really value and nurture “hope”? Hope is what sustains us as we persevere, remaining steadfast in times of trial and discouragement. For instance, when our lives are turned upside down by a war or climate change or another of life’s disruptions that are bound to come and, when they do, feel like a hurricane. The virtue of hope challenges us and empowers us to be determined, resolute, intentional, purposive, and steadfast. Hope is not wishful thinking or passive waiting.
It means intentional, purposeful living; and it is something we experience before the “bad stuff” happens. We live hopeful lives. Thomas Merton was one of the more influential spiritual writers of the last century. He wrote a now-famous prayer that seems appropriate for those times when we experience the hurricanes of life and don’t know which way to turn. “My Lord, God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does, in fact, please you.
And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do that you will lead me by the right road, although I may know nothing about it. Therefore, will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me and will never leave me to face my perils alone.” Hope means to keep living amid desperation and to keep humming in the darkness. Hoping is knowing that there is love; it is trust in tomorrow; it is falling asleep and waking again when the sun rises. In the midst of a gale at sea, it is to discover land. In the eyes of another, it is to see that you are understood... As long as there is still hope there will also be prayer... And you will be held in God's hands.
Thought for the week
As your thought for the week, pray for hope for the people in your life and know that hope never abandons us. We abandon hope. Consult not your fears especially during these worrying times but consult your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do. Hope is the basis of existence and we should never give up hope.
Hope should be our true companion of all times. I want to encourage you to stay focused on the hope that is Jesus. Pray for endurance. Know the Lord has a plan. And finally, be a reflection of hope to the world. Let them know where your hope, faith, and trust lies, sharing the light and hope of Jesus with them.
A prayer of Hope I like to say to keep me going each day goes as follows - Dear Lord, I try so hard to be your humble servant, I come before you today in need of hope, courage and strength. There are times when I feel helpless and lost. There are times when I feel weak and addicted. I pray for hope. I need hope for a better future. I need hope for a better life. I need hope for love, care, shelter and kindness. Some say that the sky is at its darkest just before the light. I pray that this is true, for all seems very dark in my life at times. I need your light, Lord, in every way. I pray to be filled with your light from head to toe. To bask in your glory. To know that all is right in the world, as you have planned, and as you want it to be. Help me Lord to walk in your light, and live my life in faith and support to those most in need. Help me to shine my light to help others shine their light. Let us also pray for all who are recovering from illnesses of all types in hospital, nursing homes , hospices and in the family home and for families who are unable to visit loved ones especially those in ICU and High Dependency Care wards and for our nurses, doctors, carers and all on the frontline who serve us daily despite the extreme stress and anxiety they endure. Dear Lord, Our Lady and St. Joseph, we ask you to hear our prayers during these worrying times and especially for all our people who are sick or unwell with any type of illness at home or in hospital. Comfort those who are vulnerable, anxious or fearful. Protect our healthcare workers and all our frontline workers who put their lives at risk. Inspire our leaders to make good decisions and may we all act responsibly and lok and pray for peace in our world. "When my arms can't reach people close to my heart, I hug them with my prayers”. In your name I pray, Amen.
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