Advent and Hope
ONE
I think four of the most important virtues for Advent – and all of life, are trust in God’s providence, gratitude, forgiveness, and hope.
Hope is to desire and strive to share in God’s divine life as His children forever in Heaven. Hope recognizes that our ultimate and lasting happiness will be found in the never-ending union with God who is the source of all the good things we desire.
When we have perfect union with God in Heaven, then because we are with Him, we will also have and experience in a perfect way every good thing that comes from him; perfect health of mind and body, every type of physical joy, the joy of perfect and intimate relationship with every human, angel and the three persons of the Trinity, we will share in all knowledge, experience all beauty and participate in every achievement. We will be perfectly fulfilled in heaven, and it will never ever end.
TWO
This world and the things of this world are not what we hope for.
Then why are we so dissatisfied? Why do we let the little and the big imperfections of life annoy us? Things are not the way we hoped they would be, and we are unhappy. Well, what were we hoping for? Perfection here? Our ultimate happiness here? Too often I place my hope in the wrong things.
We are to hope for union with God and Heaven. Heaven is the party room. This life is just the waiting room or the line to get into Heaven.
Still, look how great this waiting line is! We have minds and bodies and all kinds of pleasures of eating and drinking and walking in the sunshine on sunny days under blue skies. We have families and friends who love us unconditionally, there are endless things to learn, and untold beauty everywhere we turn and take in through our five senses. I mean, if God created a waiting line that is as good as this world is, then imagine how great Heaven will be.
The first step to hope is to place our search for ultimate happiness in the right thing – union with God and Heaven. Then see that all this here is just the line to get in. And look at how great the waiting line is. Amazing.
THREE
What should we do to direct our hope to the right thing – to God and Heaven?
Begin each day seeking a deep friendship with God through prayer, through mediation. Set aside time to be with God. Talk with Him from the heart, read the Word of God and think about it and think about your life. Then make a simple concrete resolution for the day to practice what you meditated upon.
At noon, thank God for all He has done.
Before bed, ask forgiveness. Forgive those who have trespassed against you. And then go to sleep because sleep is a good practice for death.
FOUR
Despair kills hope.
Despair is born from the mistaken idea that I am no good and I don’t even care.
Radical generosity shows the person in despair they matter. This is what Jesus did for people and it shook them out of their despair and turned them into people of hope. Peter was shaken out of despair with the radical catch of fish, the bride and groom were shaken out of despair with the radical quantity of wine, and Zechaeaus was shaken out of despair when Jesus said he was coming to his house that day.
Well, the Creator of the Universe, the God who is the all-powerful, all-knowing energy and love that holds everything in existence likes you beyond your wildest imagination. He is your biggest fan. And if you and He were to look out over the vast universe He would say to you; “So you think you don’t matter? I did all that just for you.”
You know how much you matter by how far someone will go to be with you for Christmas. On December 25, God travelled the longest distance to be with you. On that day he said to you; “Today I am staying at your house.”
FIVE
How do we help those who have no hope?
The same way God helps us out of our despair, by radical generosity, by being way more generous to them than they expect. Remember, despair is born from the mistaken idea that I am no good and I don’t even care.
So take every opportunity to be with those who do not have hope and be radically generous in giving them your time, your attention, your hospitality and most of all your delight.
Experiencing our generosity might help them recognize they are good, they are valuable. They might ask themselves; “Why do they seem to like me so much?”
“Why are they going to such lengths for me?” “Maybe they really like me?” “Maybe I am actually likeable?” Maybe I am good?”
Radical generosity is the way God shows us just how valuable, how much we are worth. This is a rescue mission, so we need to be apostles of radical generosity and hospitality to give people hope, the hope that recognizes our true value and happiness is found in the God who comes to us at Christmas.