Institute for Pastoral Initiatives News
Hope maintains and upholds Faith
By Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski,D.Min,MHSH
With COVID-19 and other tragedies around the world, how do we speak about or reflect upon hope today?
Hope is a virtue essential for living through these modern times.
Hope can be difficult to understand.
“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” (Romans 8:24)
Hope is the main impulse of life.
“Then you would trust, because there is hope; and you will look around you, and rest securely.” (Job 11:18)
Pope Francis, in his recent Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, On Fraternity and Social Friendship, reminds us of the significance of hope today.
“Hope speaks to us of a thirst, an aspiration, a longing for a life of fulfillment, a desire to achieve great things, things that fill our heart and lift our spirit to lofty realities like truth, goodness and beauty, justice and love," Pope Francis said. "Hope can open us up to grand ideals that make life more beautiful and worthwhile.”
Our contemporary times call us to have the ability to deal with ambiguity, thrive amidst uncertainty, appreciate diversity and complexity and embrace dialogue for enhancing clarity of discernment and action.
In Theology of Hope, Catholic theologian Jürgen Moltmann indicated that hope is that virtue by which we take responsibility for the future, not simply our individual future but the future of the world. Hope is oriented toward the Kingdom of God, not as heaven alone, but as the renewal and recreation of the whole world. God is not above us, but ahead of us, summoning us to concrete the future.
It is our unwavering hope that maintains and upholds our faith and keeps us moving on in the face of the most difficult circumstances of our daily life.
Deepen your faith with online classes through VLCFF.UDayton.edu. We offer three- and five-week courses in English, Spanish and Arabic. Start dates are Aug. 22 and Oct. 10 in 2021. For more inspirational stories, please check out my video series below.