Friday, March 8
And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. —1 Corinthians 13:12
Gentle amber eyes look at me with longing. A furry tail wags and one big paw is raised. Jeannie is filled with hope…hope that her favorite bacon treat will appear and she will be happy. When I hand it to her, her hope is fulfilled.
Worried blue eyes watch carefully as three small children check out the lobby of the motel. She says quietly “I hope we can have a home of our own by Christmas.” The social worker nods and promises to do his best.
Courageous brown eyes smile with joy as he takes his new husband’s hand and whispers “I hope our marriage lasts forever.” Their families cry. Hope fills the sanctuary.
Tired hazel eyes look toward loved ones as she says “I am ready to die. I know God loves me. I just hope I won’t have too much pain.” Strong hands hold hers.
Hope is a four letter word. We use it all the time. It can be a sacred celebration, a calling out to God, a prayer, a need, or just a wish. Sometimes it’s as simple as a wagging tail or hands linked in love.
It springs from our deepest longing, our shallowest wanting and a myriad of other places. When it is linked with love and faith, it can empower us to sit with a dying loved one, celebrate an amazing relationship, work for justice or just enjoy a treat.
Faith and hope and love are the strong, multi-colored threads with which God invites us to weave the tapestry of our lives. I suspect that we will never know exactly what we are creating, and that’s ok. Love, and hope and faith grounded in justice, celebrated in mutual loving relationships and open to endless possibilities is what God calls us to be about. Hope is a simple word, let’s keep living into it. –Rev. Dr. Fran Bogle
Thank you Holy One, for the infinite ways we can share your love in the world. May the hope and faith and love we share in this community of faith sustain and send us forth in your name. Amen