What sustains life is hope. Without the hope of a better future, we can hardly survive the upheavals of the present. Here one recalls the opening words of the great Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, SPE SALVI facti sumus – “In hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the Romans, and likewise to us [Rome 8:24].
According to the Christian faith, ‘redemption’–salvation–is not simply a given. Redemption is offered to us in the sense that we have been given hope, by virtue of which we can face our present: the present even if it is arduous can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey.” These words summarize both the whole Encyclical and the whole Christian teaching on hope.
Our hope is founded on the assurance that God will intervene to rescue us from the trials and pains of our present existence. Without this assurance, the whole task of living becomes an unbearable burden. We live in very difficult times, but what sustains us is the undying hope that sooner or later God will come in whatever way to liberate us. So, we are never discouraged, neither by corona virus, nor by hardship, nor by the likelihood of being killed by enemies.
Vision of God’s Return to His People
The Prophet Zechariah in today’s liturgical reading presents a consoling vision of great things for God’s suffering people, who were at the time of writing, captives in Babylon and fugitives in other lands. God will come to dwell in their midst, and He will gather them from all the lands where they are scattered and even many other people will come to join them (cf. Zach 2:14-15). This vision encourages those crushed by present suffering and frustration to look up to the future. God is coming with power to restore their broken lives, to rebuild their destroyed land and bring together scattered humanity.
This type of message of hope invigorates us to keep striving, knowing that our efforts are not in vain, despite the discouraging words of many modern messages and messengers of doom. We never give up, as the Apostle Paul would tell the Corinthians: “Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor 4:16-18).
God Coming as a Shepherd
The imagery of God’s intervention is that of a shepherd coming to lead his flock. This idea is proclaimed in the responsorial psalm today from Jeremiah 31:10-13. Like a great Shepherd, God will gather His people and guard them from overpowering hands and bring them to a place of joy and peace. This message is for all nations and peoples that decide to turn to God.
Surely this is the type of message many people like to hear today as forces of nature and human waywardness continue to darken the lives of many in our society. We are consoled that we have a God who cares and whose only desire is the welfare of those who trust in Him.
thank you padre for proclaiming to the whole world the TRUTH and HIS WORD. we need it. when I was a little child in school two pictures I saw that affected me was Jesus praying in the Garden before he was betrayed and a picture of three black men dying on their crosses. the sister would tell us why Jesus looked so sad. HE was going to do OUR FATHER’S WILL even if it meant death. HE loved MANKIND so much. and than she would tell me about the other picture. they were African men who died because they would not give up their Faith and convert to Islam. like in the past were the Middle East and Africa will produce great souls who will spread the TRUTH and the WORD in the beginning of Christianity, you will see them spreading the WORD and the TRUTH from many places in Africa going into many places in the world like America and Europe who will lose the Faith and they will show the Way back. thank you for showing us lost sheep the way HOME again. I am one of those people who have never felt at HOME anywhere or anytime on this planet. I think it was more the families I met that made me feel close. but I feel like a wanderer finding my way HOME but I have to admit I have lost my way many times. I say the rosary a lot and the Way of the Cross to remind me the way HOME.