Hope Does Not Disappoint
/I hate to admit it, but the First Reading is like looking into a mirror. Moses has moved the people from slavery to freedom, but all they can do is complain. “Is God in our midst or not?” I’ve asked that same question too many times to count — and asked it in that same salty tone, you can be sure! In times of uncertainty, fear, and discontent, it’s easy to blame God and to move from trust to doubt. “Hey, God, are you even here, or not?”
A few years ago, God Space had a small group read the book Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor. We learned about the Buddhist understanding of suffering, which resonated so much with us. Suffering is “so often a measure of how much we want things to be different from the way they are” (47). Our “desire for pain-free lives” is the problem, and the sooner we stop resisting and accept things the way they are, the sooner we’ll ease our suffering (47). Much of my unhappiness it is in my own head, how I think about the circumstances of my life. When I resist, complain, deny, and wish things were different, I only increase my unhappiness. When I accept what is and become present to it, I eventually find God. If I can pause and just be with the present moment, I can notice the presence of God and even, sometimes, experience peace.
Of course, Christianity has some different beliefs about suffering, but even so, Christ calls us to be present to what is, not resisting but seeking God in all things. In fact, that’s what I see Jesus doing as he talks with the woman at the well in the Gospel. Like the people in the First Reading, the woman is thirsty, but unlike them, she’s not complaining. She does have some questions, though: Why is a Jew asking her for a drink? How can he give her living water if he doesn’t have a bucket? Who is this guy? She doesn’t know who he is, but he knows her. He knows she’s been married and rejected several times. He knows she must stand outside the circle of belonging in her community, since she’s there alone at noon. He knows her, and she lets herself be known, not denying, not hiding. Both of them are present to the reality of her life and circumstances. And then Jesus allows her to know him for who he really is – the Messiah, the Christ, the one who is to come. As she moves from their encounter to call the community to come and see, she becomes more than who she was. She becomes a prophet and a disciple. He stirs up hope in her, and she is changed.
I want to be changed by hope too. Our Second Reading from Romans assures us that “hope does not disappoint,” but as we notice suffering all around us, wars waged, and people struggling with loneliness and despair, it’s hard to trust that. I sometimes get really disappointed — in people, in myself, in circumstances. However, maybe it’s not the hope that disappoints but my own expectations of how things “should” be. There are times when I need to accept what is. Acceptance, though, doesn’t mean complacency. I’m still going to work to make things better, if I can. It’s kind of a paradox of our faith, isn’t it? We’re called to both work for change and to accept what is, to love the Kingdom of God and to do everything we can to bring it to fruition. God helps us to discern when to work and when to accept, and sometimes we even have to do both at the same time, which is hard. But difficulty isn’t for nothing. “Affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope” (Rom 3-4). After all the afflictions that we’re enduring these days, we must have a superhero level of endurance and proven character, and, thus, hope, right? If we do, it’s because God is relentless in stirring up hope in us. Even when I almost wish God would take it down a notch and just let me give up, I can’t. I just keep hoping.
We are imperfect, and circumstances are hard, but God loves us. God is present to who we are, even as God calls us to grow. God is certainly in our midst. When we are present to reality instead of resisting, we catch a glimpse of who God is. We open to God, and we allow God to make us more – more compassionate, more generous, more loving.
For Reflection:
What’s s bringing you hope right now?
When you’re going through a hard time or life looks bleak, how do you deal with it? How is God with you in those times? If you couldn’t notice God then in the moment, can you look back now and see how God was with you during challenging times in the past?
As you reflect on your spiritual life at this point, what’s your call or invitation from God? How is God present in your life?
By Sister Leslie Keener, CDP
Leslie is the director of God Space, a community-building spirituality ministry in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. She’s a Sister of Divine Providence with a Masters in Ministry and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Retreats from Creighton University. She directs retreats, meets with people for spiritual direction, and serves as the vocation director for her community. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Spiritual Directors International. She enjoys music, dancing, and meaningful conversations.