Fr. Don's Daily Reflection
You shall know them by their love; see how they love one another. These phrases were written in reference to the early Christians; the first to an ideal, the second to a reality, at least in one place or time. As the New Testament insists in any number of places, love should be the defining mark of Christians, love for each other and love for those around us to the extent of working for their good. Until we show that more convincingly and consistently, we may be apologetic even thinking of other virtues. And, in fact, St. Paul says that all the commandments are summed up in this one: love one another.
But, how about a word for hope anyway? In the world of continual disasters, disease, and destruction, that would probably do, next to love, nearly as much for the world. “You can tell a Christian by her hope.” And “See how they hope.” For Christians hope means a conviction originating in and sustained by God's grace that evil, disease, sorrow, and sin will not have the last word, that the goodness of God and creation will prevail. And, too, hope is based on love; it's because we know of God's loving intent for our world that we can justify our hope. How to hope? Human effort alone will only produce optimism which is good as far as it goes. Hope is very much a gift we open ourselves to by reflection on God's word and persistent prayer. Situations that tempt us to discouragement or despair can help us to be more insistent in our prayer for hope.