Response to First Week of Advent Question

My husband died a year ago. He was an example of hope in that he provided hope especially for parents of handicapped newborns. He always told them that it took special parents to provide for a special child. In May of this year, my first grandchild developed an intraventricular hemorrhage just two weeks prior to birth. Most children have significant permanent brain damage when this occurs, but I hoped that the young parents would love this child no matter what. Sadie was born – so far she appears normal and is developing all her milestones on time! Hope is seeing a reason where there is no reason, where things cannot be changed, but the future is not bleak or dark. In today’s economy, it is up to each of us to light the candle that will show the way for those facing the demons of poverty, foreclosure, lay-offs and loss of retirement funds.


For me the object of Christian hope is Jesus’ promise that we will inherit the kingdom of heaven. He is the way, the truth and the life. I see my hope more as a trust and belief in Jesus that he, and he alone, will lead us to the Father rather than a wish for this to happen. Paul says in Romans 8:23-25 “We groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. In hope we are saved. We hope for what we do not see, so we wait with endurance.” We don’t earn eternal life with the Father, it is gift to us. My hope then is that this promise will be fulfilled at the end of my life.