WHAT IT MEANS TO HOPE

This is Holy Week. A week of remembrance. A week of purpose. A week of salvation. We recall how we partake in these Mysteries. How all our actions up till now have led us to the hour that has come. The hour where a Son becomes a Man. And man becomes one again with God through the death of His Son.

Under that umbrella, we reflected heavily on what it means to hope in our last Lenten based Faith Sharing of the year. From what we were fasting on, giving our time to, and praying for, we discussed how easy it was, being the sinners that we are, to let our commitments and promises fall through the cracks, but how the preparation of it all was a journey. A journey toward Easter. A journey toward the Eternal. A journey toward Life. As our sacrifices and mortifications are not a forever abyss or desert, we took a look back on why we Lent. With the why and who in mind, why we made the promises we made, and who we made them for, we reveled in the joy of finding said life, looking at verse Matthew 16:25. “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

In the grand scheme of what we hope for as humans that walk this Earth - finding a job we can retire from, finding a spouse, starting a family and building a home, while all amazing milestones and dreams, the Lord reminds us in this season that as much as He blesses us/as blessed as we already are, there is no greater promise. No greater hope. While we lose the battle, Christ has won the war. If we were to wake up tomorrow without that promotion, reward, roundtrip ticket to Italy, we would still have what matters. We would have God. And God would have us. As long as we continue to pursue Him, we have nothing to fear. Not because we are good or do good- but because He is good, does good, and loves us.

We recognized that “clinging” on to Jesus, and “losing” our lives for His sake is easier said than done. Despite our yearnings to be Saints, many of us will continue to face mental, physical, and spiritual battles that will have us holding on to things of this world for solace. But we also recognized that pursuing these earthly gains or enduring these earthly trials can still be used as good to bring us closer to Him. Re-shifting our lives to those of above, Heaven and Christ, all starts from within. It is in the daily walk, our daily “yes”, our resolving choice and tears of prayer to choose God, hoping He stands by our side, that allows us to focus on that everlasting joy and union as we journey toward our own personal Easters and collective Easter.

Whatever it may be, our small decision to keep our eyes fixed on above will make our burdens lighter. It will lift the windowsill of our hearts to allow Christ’s rays of hope to enter into our soul. We have just tonight to Passion and Death, but with God’s grace, a lifetime to go with our Redeemer. May everyone’s Triduum, reflections and celebrations be fruitful and hopeful as we enter into this most Holy time of year.

- “Stay with me. Remain here with me. Watch and pray.”

God Bless Everyone! And Happy Easter!