How hopeful are you? It’s a difficult question. In a world drowning in fear and anxiety, it can be easy to get swept up in the panic of today’s culture. But as Christians, we have something greater than fear. Today, Allen gives a beautiful reflection on what hope really means and how you can increase hope in your daily life.
Life is Messy – Unexpected Lives
Life didn’t turn out the way I expected. In some ways it has exceeded my expectations, and in other ways it has disappointed them. Never in my wildest dreams as a child would I have imagined the life I have lived. The adventures, experiences, and opportunities, the love I have given and received, and the success I have enjoyed have all far exceeded my expectations. But I also never imagined in my worst nightmares the dark side of these bright lights.
We all end up living unexpected lives.
There are hopes and dreams that didn’t materialize that I grieve, but I have been surprised and delighted by other unexpected gifts. And there are hopes and dreams that I am glad did not come to fruition. The unexpected goes both ways.
But these are not the things that make life most unexpected. It’s the truly unexpected things, those we don’t hope for or fear—particularly those that come out of nowhere and break our hearts. You wake up one morning and discover that your life has been changed forever, because of something you did or something someone else did. It’s the things we don’t plan, the things we never imagined would happen. It’s those unexpected events that slap you so hard in the face that you can taste blood in your mouth.
Nobody’s life turns out the way they expect it to. We shouldn’t be surprised. Nobody looks back on life to discover it unfolded exactly as they hoped or planned, but I found myself particularly unprepared for the inevitability of the unexpected. That’s the paradox: It is inevitable that we live unexpected lives.
Life doesn’t unfold according to our plans. But sooner or later, we each have to decide how we are going to make the most of our one, brief, unexpected life. It is then that we come face-to-face with two enduring truths: We cannot live without hope that things will change for the better, and we are not victims of our circumstances.
Hope is not always as accessible as we would like. It often seems just out of reach at those times when we are most in need of it, when our hearts are broken, our minds downtrodden, and our souls crushed. Yet, even in those moments, we have a choice. The unexpected is either a curse or an opportunity. We get to decide.
Matthew Kelly
From Life is Messy
Daily Reflection – Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry
Daily Reflection – Holy Moments Empower Us
Minute Meditation – We Do Not Have to Give Up Hope
Our world is one that is breaking from pain and sin in every direction we look, it seems. But we do not have to give up hope, because we are women who see. If we will set our hearts on the discipline of prayer and give up the things that keep us from living wholly dependent on him, we will see God in action, recognize him at work, and have the courage to go out and proclaim his presence with great rejoicing. Our homes, our towns, and our world need us to be women of vision. They need us to know when God is stirring and to show up to witness his coming. They need us to run out rejoicing because we have hoped in him and seen our hopes confirmed.
— from the book Who Does He Say You Are? Women Transformed by Christ in the Gospels
by Colleen C. Mitchell, page 30
//Franciscan Media//
Minute Meditation – Looking Ahead With Hope
In many of his letters Solanus speaks of the beauty of death and how we should look forward to it. For example: “Many are the rainbows, the sunbursts, the gentle breezes—and the hailstorms we are liable to meet before, by the grace of God, we shall be able to tumble into our graves with the confidence of tired children into their places of peaceful slumber.” Another letter has this: “Let us prepare for our final moment on earth by patient suffering, prayer, and the sacraments, then we will receive with joyful countenance the final call of the Divine Lover—the Bridegroom of our souls—and gently pass into eternity.” Throughout his life he had fostered a healthy, hope-filled view of death. As a young priest in Yonkers he once declared to his friend Willie Spring, “Death can be beautiful—like a wedding—if we make it so.”
A letter written in 1946 to his niece Helena Wilhite reveals his confidence in God’s loving providence: “Let us thank God ahead of time for whatever He foresees is pleasing to Him,… leaving everything at His divine disposal, including—with all its circumstances, when, where, and how—God may be pleased to dispose the events of our death.” In his last days his prayers were, as usual, for the needs of the sick and troubled but not for the relief of his own sufferings. Now he longed only for a happy death.
—from the book Gratitude and Grit: The Life of Blessed Solanus Casey,
by Brother Leo Wollenweber, OFM Cap, page 87
//Franciscan Media//
When You Suffer: Biblical Keys for Hope and Understanding
Jeff Cavins, Author and Speaker, discusses how our suffering is part of our role as the Body of Christ in this excerpt from his talk entitled “When You Suffer: Biblical Keys for Hope and Understanding.” Mr. Cavins’ talk was part of the Evangelization Series at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Hope
//Contemplative Monk//
Hope is the Best Remedy for Suicidal Thoughts
Fr. Mike explains why hope is the best remedy for suicidal thoughts. If you know someone struggling with such thoughts, don’t hesitate to reach out to them with reasons to have hope. If someone you know or love has committed suicide, pray for them and don’t lose hope for their soul. If you struggle with suicidal thoughts, don’t be ashamed to seek help. Fr. Mike shares these words of encouragement and more in this video.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255. Online chat is available at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Sermon Notes – October 24, 2021 – “There’s Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself”
“There’s Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself”
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
October 23 – 24, 2021
Gospel: Mark 10:46-52
I was having my car washed the other day because I’m lazy and old. I always go to the same place, and while I was at the carwash, I saw one of the workers who I’ve met a few times. The man said, “Hmmm…you served in the Army?” Yes. “You were in the 101st Airborne?” Yes, for about three years. . . He must have seen the 101st sticker on my car. The man said, “I saw a movie about them when they were in Vietnam. I couldn’t do what they did.” Well, they weren’t Superman; they were just boys from the neighborhood. However, we had been convinced that we were Superman, and we certainly acted like it with a big red “S” on our chest and thinking we could do anything. I wanted to ask the man at the carwash who had told him that he couldn’t do it. I mean, I’m not Schwarzenegger, and I made it. So, who told you that you couldn’t do it?
It was the same thing that told our first parents they were naked. God asked Adam and Eve, “Who told you that you were naked?” Why did God create us? What’s the first question in the old Catechism? By the way, the Catechism is the best teaching tool we have in the Church. God made us because He loves us and so that we can be with Him forever. He is always calling us to everlasting life. The Gospel tells us, “Go to Him. He is calling you.” Our Lord calls us to Him. Bartimaeus did not take time to think about his fears, and even though he was blind, he went to Jesus. Which is interesting because it doesn’t say that somebody helped him…he just ran to Jesus. Ask a blind man to go somewhere without help. But he did. It is possible. So, don’t say, “I can’t do it.”
Our Lord calls us to holiness. And what is holiness? It’s a return to our original state. The original state of man and the state we are called to is not sin. The original state of man and the one that Jesus wants to transform us to is the state of Adam and Eve before the fall. It was the state of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They were truly human. It is sin that makes us less than human. Sin was never supposed to be in our souls.
The saints prove it is possible to return to holiness. . .to strive for holiness and to achieve the greatest amount of holiness we can in this life and perfection in the next. The saints prove it is possible, and they were just like us. They weren’t supermen or superwomen. They were just like us, but they took advantage of the graces that God offers. God calls us, no matter our state or vocation, to offer us the grace we need to return to holiness. He doesn’t ask us to do the impossible. He offers us the necessary grace to do it, but we must reach out and take that grace and cooperate with it.
Each time we come to Mass and receive Holy Communion or go to Confession, we grow in faith, hope, and charity which are what we call the Theological or infused virtues. We do not get them by prayer or works. They are infused in us through worthy reception of the Sacraments and are activated by works and prayer. Go to Mass. Go to Confession. Acquired virtues you get by doing works. Acquired and Theological virtues give us the power to turn away from sin and live for God. Use the virtues you have. An example is the virtue of music that Frankie has by reading that coded musical language that nobody understands. She has the gift of being able to play the organ and piano so well, but if she stops playing, she will lose the gift. We must exercise our gifts…we have to use them. When you do, don’t be afraid by the lack of results or reception. We are doing it for God Himself. Do not fear. He is calling you. Run to Him.
We take counsel of our fears, and we should never do that because fear is always a lie. The worse thing I ever lived through never happened. We are afraid we might lose something, that it will be too hard, that we can’t do it, or that we won’t have any fun. Anybody can do brain surgery if you are willing to go to medical school. Take it one step at a time. You won’t be asked to do brain surgery on the first day. You’ll have to wait six or seven years before you can. Do not be afraid. The Master is calling you. He is calling us to share in the blessings and joys of heaven. “Does He know all my faults?” Yeah, I’m pretty sure He does. “Does He know I’m not perfect?” Yeah, I’m pretty sure He knows that too. He wants to help make you perfect. We become perfect in heaven. We progress each day taking up our cross and following Him. . . Each day by bearing our sufferings. . .Each day by asking for the grace we need to carry our cross.
Remember the spiritual lie: “Oh I’m good…my relationship is good.” Did you know that’s the worse spot to be in? You have too much confidence in yourself, and that’s when you should be very afraid. Self-satisfaction is saying, “I’m fine just the way I am.” The good Lord will say, “Fine.” Come back when you’re not.” Grow ever closer to Him. We have nothing to fear. Get up and go to Him. In our fallen state, just like Bartimaeus, we will be restored to the way we are supposed to be. So, in the words of Gospel, “You have nothing to fear from Him. Get up. He is calling you.”
Father’s Afterthoughts:
I don’t recommend anyone imitating my style. It is particular. I give some people nicknames like “Face” that just come to me. I really should up my meds. On Friday I was up at the VA. I knocked on a patient’s door and called out to him. The patient, Tommy, had been asleep and grumbled as he was trying to wake up. So, in my most commanding voice, I said “On your feet soldier!!” That got Tommy’s mind right. It snapped him right back to the old days. With other patients, you can’t do that, but with Tommy I can. You know Congress made me an officer and a gentleman? Never, ever trust those people!
How will you apply this message to your life?
You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to https://annunciationcatholicalbemarle.com/ and clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.” Sermon notes can also be found on the church Facebook page by searching for “Facebook Our Lady of the Annunciation Albemarle”
