BE THE FACE OF HOPE

[1]Have you ever cried out in despair: “God, where are you? Help us!” We’re in the midst of the 4th wave of COVID! The parish list of the dead continues to be quite lengthy. Buildings have crumbled in South Florida, floods sweeping the North East, wild fires on the West Coast; and hasn’t Haiti suffered enough? They’re country in turmoil, has experienced yet another devastating earthquake, and, hit by two tropical storms as they try to recover lost loved ones. Then there’s the war-torn countries in the middle East. We’ve all been affected, in one way or another, we’ve all suffered. People have lost, not only loved ones, but jobs and homes. It’s not hard to understand how we may not always see God when we are in the midst of our suffering. To question, where’s the hope?

In Judges, when approached by the angel, Gideon asks, “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Jgs 6:13) Gideon didn’t feel God’s presence in his sufferings under the Midianites and Gideon’s call to oppose them follows an already established pattern: unexpected experience, commission, protest, sign, and reassurance—and then finally acceptance, even if only reluctantly. Gideon’s protest is he doubts he can save Israel, because he is from the poorest, lowliest family. And isn’t this part of God’s pattern also?

Where do you see God? Where do you see hope? In our health-care workers, first responders, those who serve in the armed forces? Maybe it’s the person who calls to check on a neighbor who lost his wife of 60+ years and is now alone, or the person who stayed in contact with a medically vulnerable person who hasn’t felt safe to leave their home? Maybe it’s the priests, deacons, and sisters who continued to preside and serve at Mass, even to empty churches for a time and continued to do visitations to the sick and dying?

What message do we give when we step out of our comfort zones and into someone’s life and help? We give them hope.

In Matthew, the disciple’s express amazement as well as some trepidation at the high cost of discipleship. Jesus stepped into the lives of the disciples and gave them hope. The disciples, in turn, stepped into the lives of all those they met and gave them hope. We all can, in small ways, step into the lives of others and give them hope. At the Eucharist, we agree to receive Christ into our lives as our hope. May the Eucharist nourish us and help us be the face of hope to others.[2]

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[1] Scripture (NABRE), Judges 6:11-24a; Matthew 19:23-30

[2] Weekday HomilyHelps. Exegesis by Dr. Mary Ann Getty, Homily Suggestion by Sister Vickie Griner, OSC.