Most of the social situations nowadays can bring us the feeling of hopelessness, with all the unending stories of corruption, injustices, natural disasters and poverty of different forms. Families and individuals are directly affected by these that give the feeling of insecurities and uncertainties.  People have been witnessing abuse of power while victims are denied of justice. Children are left struggling for attention and care of their parents who are also wounded of broken promises of change and something better. Data shows the number of young people who cannot access education and women without satisfying healthcare. Fake information is in the air not just confusing but destructs integrity and blurs clarity.   There are also drug addiction, crimes and communities devastated by floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In schools, students may not find meaning and connection with their acquired knowledge, or they would not give serious attention to things that are essential and lasting. At a glance, there is no space left for hope, yet these are also venues for response like reflection, prayer, and transformative action.

In the book of Genesis, God promised a brighter future to Abraham such as descendants, and land where they can prosper and His blessing will be theirs. [1] It was God’s covenant with Abraham Hope begins with a call. When God spoke to Abraham, He only gave a promise and did not give him any picture or map, of the land that he said, “I will show you.” And to make the promise a reality, Abraham had to take a journey towards an imagined future.  Yet what gave Abraham courage was not what he could see, but God’s assurance, the word he had heard from Him.

God in narratives liberates and the Exodus stories become the defining act of hope. He was true to His covenant with the Israelites and so, oppression is not the end.

In the New Testament, God, once again fulfilled His promise by sending Jesus as the Messiah. He was the anointed one.[2] Through Jesus’ ministry, He proclaimed the Jubilee – good news, freedom, and healing. After His suffering, and death, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection.

Our Christian hope is not built on visible certainties or guarantees, but on trust in the faithfulness of God. It is an act of our immense faith, moving us to trod forward even when the road ahead is hidden in mystery.

Our faith tells us that God’s promise is true for all generations: “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” [3] Hope then, has communal dimension, it is never personal. It is even cosmological. As people of hope, we become instruments of blessing of God for others.

In our own lives, we are often reminded to hear God’s message and respond to His call. Most of the time, our following of Jesus invites us to open our eyes and read the signs of the times. For, it is only in our consciousness and careful analysis of the social context that we can fully respond to God’s call to discipleship. We may not know fully what lies ahead, but we hold on to our hope in God’s word. His plans are always greater than our fears and infidelities. Obeying God’s word to “get up and walk” without any reservation, we give witness to God’s faithfulness. 

To hope is to love without boundaries. It is the courage to take the steps going the street corners where the sick poor are lying; to look at the eyes of a tired and struggling mother who accept laundry job every day just to send her child to school; to hold the shaking hands of an old woman and assist her to cross the road. It is also speaking against immoralities; standing up for truth and respecting the dignity of every life. It is cultivating the soil and plant trees and it is living a life without lies. It is accompanying a low-spirited student and leading the way to healing. 

Hope, is finding God, clinging to God, and remaining in Him. St. Vincent de Paul said, “go to the poor and you will find God.” We, as Cordians – Vincentians, are gifted with a beautiful vocation that Hermana Fausta – the school founder received, nourished in her life and lived through selfless service. She was full of hope, and her vision resulted Sacred Heart College. It is the same disposition and attitude that we are called to wear in the midst of everything that is us in the whole cosmos. To live out the spirituality if St. Vincent and St. Louise de Marillac; and to follow the example of Hermana Fausta Labrador, is to live a life full of hope.  

Hope is not always written in books or carved on stone. It is also etched gently in our hearts that radiates in the face of every Cordian, whose wellspring is Christ Himself. The hope is us, every time we choose to love over hate and joy over dwelling on sadness. Let us all continue to be a living witness that definitely gives shape to hope.

[1] Gen 12:1-3

[2] Luke 4:16-21

[3] Gen 28:14