According to the book of Ecclesiastes: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Eccl. 3:1,4). This is the nature of our human life on earth. When it is time to laugh and a time to dance, we should enjoy it responsibly in full. However, we must not curse the time of weeping and the time of mourning but recognize them as part of the experiences that naturally characterize our existence on earth. We only require a right attitude to survive this trying time till the sun shines again. For tough times do not last but tough people do.
Attitude
One of the best attitudes in time of “crying and mourning” is to exercise the power of hope. Hope is a life-giving force. It is the driving force towards survival and success. Whoever gives up hope, gives up on life. This is the central message of advent. Only those who wait upon the Lord in hope, “shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Is. 40:31).
In today’s first reading, the Prophet Isaiah encourages the people of God to keep hoping and waiting for God’s intervention in their lives. He reassures them: “After shadows of darkness, the eyes of the blind will see” (Is. 29:18). This means that nothing lasts forever. Every dark night is transitory, and every storm will eventually ebb away. But only those who wait in hope shall experience the succeeding sunshine and calm.
Strong and Courageous
Hope requires courage and steadfastness. For this reason, God told Joshua: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Jos. 1:9). Hope resists the temptation to give up and slide into depression. The reason for hope is founded on the trust “that all things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom 8:28). Hope feeds on the firm belief that God is ever faithful. It trusts that even when God delays in coming, His coming is assured.
Sometimes, when we think we have reached a dead end, the Lord smiles from above and whispers to us, “It is not the end of the road. It is just a bend. Keep moving.” For things are not always what they seem. If we have faith, we can always hope that everything that happens will ultimately be for our benefit. Thus, even when it seems that there is no light at the end of the tunnel, the Lord exhorts us to hope.
The two blind men in today’s gospel are shining examples of hope. Despite their condition, they were still convinced that life was worth living. That was why giving up was never an option for them. Even though they were blind, they were far from being cowards. They were fighters and as the going got tough, they kept going. They kept hoping for a brighter day. And their hope did not disappoint them. Thus, at the appointed time, they encountered the Son of righteousness. They beseechingly called out to him, “Son of David, have mercy on us.” Jesus heard their prayers of faith and healed their blindness. Those who do not lose hope will experience the saving power of God. May this advent season usher us into a renewed hope of salvation in Christ Jesus.
