HOPE

 

HOPE – Hang on Peace Emerges is an anacronym which a good friend of mine uses when speaking about hope.  Over the years I have read many authors views of hope. 

Two that stand out for me are Emily Dickinson’s poem on Hope –

"Hope" is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops -- at all...

And Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” In this brief passage Paul tells us that God is the God of hope.

We can abound in hope through the Holy Spirit, which is God’s gift to us. It is hope, above all, which gives us the strength to live and to continually try new things. Hope is not something we can conjure up by sheer force of will, it is truly a gift from God.  Hope is born of an encounter with Christ.

Our world is full of pain and suffering, pressures, and despair. Hope is essential for us to flourish.  By having hope, we are not denying the sorrow and pain of life but celebrating the love of Christ.  Prayer preserves and renews hope.  Let us allow the hope that has been born within us to continue to sing, dance, and foster life in ourselves and others.  May we always remember to hang on and let peace emerge.

God Changes Plans

 

Having just returned from the LCWR Leadership Conference of Women Religious this past week this sentiment is so true. The time at the LCWR was full of renewed relationships, wonderful presentations, discussions and sharing. As I reflected on this time, I was struck by the depth of the conversations that I was privileged to be a part of.

The hotel has a pool called the lazy river. This became an image of how I see religious life right now. In the lazy river you sit in a large tube and just float in the current. As I went on the river, I was struck by the fact that you ride in the current, occasionally hit a wall, get turned in different directions, get sprayed by the different sprinklers that are spread out throughout the river. Occasionally you find yourself outside of the current and you need help to get back into it. It was a most peaceful experience and it spoke to me of the experience of religious life right now. We are in the process of moving forward yet at times we get stuck and need help to get ourselves out of it. The more I prayed with this image the clearer it all became.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit Hollywood Studios. Having not been there in a very long time I could not believe how much it had changed.  I went with friends and really enjoyed the experience. Initially I did not know where I would wind up, but I am so happy I went. I even went on the Tower of Terror ride. It certainly lived up to its name. I alternated between feeling terror and laughter.

Today I was going to spend the day at the lazy river before I flew home but this is where God changed my plans. I received an email from the airline saying that my flight might be changed due to storms, and I could change my ticket without penalty. I never moved so fast in my life. My ticket was changed, and I was rebooked very quickly and then had to get myself out of the hotel and to the airport. I am so grateful that I am home as the storms are beginning to come. My plans changed and I truly believe that God intervened.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

In today’s reading, we hear Jesus say again, as he did in last week's Gospel, that he is the bread of life. We also hear Jesus add that he is the living bread. Both of these statements help us understand better the gift that Jesus gives us in the Eucharist. We celebrate this gift of Jesus each time we gather for Mass. We believe that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist will lead us to eternal life.

Whenever I hear or read this Gospel I am always reminded of a song I learned as a child, Suzanne Toolan's I Am the Bread of Life.

I am the Bread of Life

You who come to Me shall not hunger;

And who believe in Me shall not thirst,

No one can come to Me

Unless the Father beckons.

And I will raise you up,

And I will raise you up,

And I will raise you up

On the last day!

The bread that I will give

Is My flesh for the life of the world,

And if you eat of this Bread,

You shall live forever,

You shall live forever!

Unless you eat

The Flesh of the Son of Man

And drink of His Blood,

And drink of His Blood,

You shall not have life within you.

I am the Resurrection,

I am the Life

If you believe in Me,

Even though you die,

You shall live forever.

These words mirror today's Gospel for me and call me to reflect on what receiving the Eucharist means to me. Take time today to reflect on what the Eucharist means to you and remember that the Bread of Life is always with us.