St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

           8. Hope: An Active Trust in God

Dear brothers and sisters,   

      True hope is rooted in trusting God extending love to others, and responding to challenges with the grace of God gracefully!

     Once a dad was climbing some cliffs with his 5 year old son; he heard a voice from above yelling, “Hey Dad, Catch me!” The Dad turned around to see his son joyfully jumping off a rock straight at him. He jumped and yelled “Hey Dad.” The dad became an instant circus actor, catching him, both fell on the ground. The dad asked his son, “Can you give one good reason why you did that?” He replied, “Sure.. Because you’re my dad.”

      Biblical hope is not passive optimism but active trust in God's promises. David’s trusted in God’s plan, (1 Sam. 26) refused to take revenge on Saul and let God’s action to deliver justice on “the Lord’s anointed” and said, “God will deal with Saul in His timing” and showed him forgiveness and compassion.

     Jesus’ radical call to love and forgiveness (Luke 6) as expressions of hope in action - “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful;” “Give, and it will be given to you.” It’s not material giving but offering hope, grace, mercy, love, etc. Our hope in God would help us even when it is difficult to give these. "Do not take revenge, but leave room for God to act.” (Rom. 12:19) Duties are ours, events are God’s; our faith is not to meddle with events!

     What oxygen is for the lungs, such is hope for the meaning of human/Christian life. Take oxygen away and death occurs through suffocation, take hope away and humanity is constricted through lack of breath; despair and hopelessness set in.

     May we place our trust in God when facing opposition in life, leaving justice in God’s hands!

Msgr. Xavier                                        

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