We are told through the words of Saint Paul that: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1Cor:2,9) But this great blessing is beyond the strength of our entire nature. Can we attain to it? Yes, without a doubt, God even places in our soul this certainty of achieving this great inheritance, the fruits and merits of Jesus, despite the obstacles opposed to it.
We can say with St. Peter:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials.” (1Pt. 1-3)
An Act of Faith
O My God, I believe that you are one God in three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: I believe that your Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because you have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.
The Virtue of Hope
Hope is the theological virtue by which we firmly trust that God, who is all-powerful and faithful to His promises, will in His mercy give us eternal happiness and the means to obtain it.
Let us Hold Fast to our Hope
We do not rely on our own strength, but on the help and grace of the Holy Spirit. “Let us hold fast to the profession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb.10:23) The holy Spirit is poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by His grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. It is not easy for man, wounded by sin, to maintain moral balance. Christ’s gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues. Everyone should always ask for this grace of light and strength: to frequent the sacraments, to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and to follow His calls to love what is good and to shun what is evil.
Hope Inspires our Good Works
The virtue of Hope responds to the desire for happiness which God has placed in the heart of everyone. Hope inspires our good works and purifies them so that their goal is to bring us to the kingdom of Heaven. Hope keeps us from discouragement, and sustains us during times of abandonment. Hope opens the human heart to expect eternal blessings. Supported by Hope, we are preserved from selfishness, and we are led to the happiness that comes from love
Rejoice in Your Hope
“Let us put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thes.5:8) It affords joy under trial: “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation” (Rm.12:12) Hope is expressed and nourished in prayer, especially in the “Our Father”, and in the “Act of Hope”. The motive for hope is God’s almighty power. And it is certain that God will give us all we need to attain everlasting happiness.
