Got Hope?: Hope from a Christian Perspective

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

So what is hope?  Is it a feeling, a particular belief?  Is it something based on empirical experience?  Is it strictly spiritual? Is it a result of positive expectations? Is it the famous, catchy campaign slogan of Barack Obama Or is it the promise of a new and better life?  These are some of the questions that I believe we have all asked at one time about regarding hope.  So what is hope from a truly Catholic Christian perspective?

Hope is defined in the catechism:

" Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire and await from God eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promise and relying on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit to merit and persevere to the end of our earthly life." (p.113)

Hope defined from a Christian perspective takes on two separate components: earthly and heavenly.  a) Earthly: From an earthly perspective hope can be viewed as a certain type of expectation that is based on mostly a belief that something will turn out a desired way.  This type of hope engenders a certain type of belief of the future that certain things will happen even if there is no substantial proof in the present. In its simplest form it can also be viewed as optimism or positive thinking.  This type of hope does not necessarily subscribe to a specific religious ideology. b) Heavenly.  This type of hope although possessing characteristics of the first type has a more outer worldly, transcendent quality; believing in things that might never take shape in the present reality.  The most clear example of this is the Christian's belief in heaven.   This type of hope is the ultimate expression of faith, because one is believing in a reality that has never been proven or demonstrated.  This view is also optimistic, greatly so because this hope promises a life that can never be realized on this earth.  This type of hope is the type that is expressed explicitly in the opening passage from Hebrews in this blog.

To be honest I struggle greatly with both form of hopes.  I, by nature am a pessimistic and cynical person.  I just don't see the best in situations and my mind naturally gravitates to the negative.  I have been experiencing this pessimism most explicitly during these past 2 weeks since I have been unemployed.  I am so easily discouraged, since it is my greatest desire to become a financial provider for my family.  Financial independence is something that I have not achieved yet, and it is frustrating me greatly. Once this happens I begin spiraling down the treacherous road of despair and depression.  Once this happens hope has temporarily left me, severely curtailing any remnant of faith.  This downward spiral has severe consequences because once my faith is compromised through my lack of hope, I begin doubting God's existence and providence in my life.  I begin to pray less,  believe less,  falling slowly but ever so surely down the slopes of despair.  I need a miracle,  I need something, Most of all I need hope.

Yesterday as I was struggling with despair and depression I began reading St. Josemaria Escriva's homily on hope from Friends of God.  Here were some of the passages that inspired and challenged me:

" The true Christian who acts according to his faith always has his sights set on God.  His outlook is supernatural.  He works in this world of ours, which he loves passionately; he is involved in all its challenges, but all the while his eyes are fixed on Heaven."  (p. 326)

" Jesus is not satisfied with a wavering assent.  He expects, and has a right to expect that we advance resolutely, unyielding in the face of difficulties.  He demands that we take firm, specific steps...Practice the virtue of justice, right where you are, in your normal surroundings, even though you may end up exhausted.  Foster happiness among those around you by cheerfully serving the people you work with and by striving to carry out your job as perfectly as you can, showing understanding, smiling, having a Christian approach to life.  And do everything for God, thinking of his glory, with your sights set high and longing for the definitive homeland, because there is no other goal worthwhile." (p. 334)

"Should this happen (it need not happen; nor will it usually happen), then turn it into another motive for uniting yourself more closely to our Lord, for he has chosen you as his child and he will not abandon you.  He has allowed that trial to befall you so that you may love him the more and may discover even more clearly his constant protection and Love." ( p. 340)

Even though I know this and have accepted this fact cognitively it is still very difficult to apply this truth into my life. It is so difficult when you are faced with such overwhelming obstacles to believe in a heavenly reality.  I generally want things now, immediately in the present.  It is so difficult to think of heaven when your basic earthly realities are not being met.  I want to be a provider today not tomorrow.

It is my prayer that the Lord give me the perseverance necessary to cultivate this vital virtue.  I also ask the Lord to forgive me for the times that I have given into despair, not trusting in his hope.   I want to conclude this blog with St. Paul's teaching about hope:

"More than that we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance and eundurance produces character and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint us because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5: 2-5)