Blessed are those who hope, in this world that needs it

On the sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, we reflect on St. Luke’s version of the Beatitudes. I have always appreciated the juxtaposition of the lessons in Jesus’ words: negative situations will result in joy; comfortable situations may eventually result in misery.

Quoting Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Luke writes, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven” (Lk 6:20–22).

I find these words particularly impactful during this Jubilee Year in which we are called to be “Pilgrims of Hope.” In our day and age, it seems that many people are unable to face suffering with an attitude of hope. As a person of faith, I know that I am not called to seek out suffering—and I’m certainly not called to enjoy it—but I am aware that suffering is part of life. Jesus’ words remind me that, in faith, we can endure. Our Jubilee Year reminds us that we must hold on to hope and be witnesses of this hope in a world so desperately in need of it.

I recently watched Chris Stefanick’s interview with Monsignor James Shea entitled, “What if Depression and Anxiety Are the Only Logical Response to a World Without God?” In this interview, Monsignor Shea acknowledged the very real existence of clinical depression and anxiety in some people; however, he also noted a correlation between an increase in anxiety and a decrease in the number of people who proclaim to have faith.

He stated, “I think what’s happened is that, in part at least, we’ve pathologized negative emotions. Some people feel that if they have negative feelings … that there is something wrong with them fundamentally because no one is ever ‘supposed’ to feel bad about anything.” Monsignor went on to say that these reactions don’t actually “respond to reality according to any measure.” Life is full of challenges, and “the fact of the matter is that feeling bad, being afraid or anxious or concerned is sometimes the exact right response to a set of circumstances.” Furthermore, he adds, “The emotions are one of the four powers of the soul which God put in us.”

It would seem that, rather than relying on Scripture messages, such as the Beatitudes quoted above, or developing personal relationships with God, people confronted with challenging situations feel desperate, as if they have nowhere to turn. Monsignor Shea likewise observes that a big challenge today, for many people of all ages, is the fact that with smartphones and immediate internet access, people—literally—carry in their pockets distractions that are alternatives to prayer.

As Pilgrims of Hope, we are called to acknowledge all of our God-given emotions. We need to turn to God in thanksgiving for our joy, and for peace and comfort in times of trial and suffering. In so doing, we not only deal with our own negative experiences and feelings, but we have the potential to remind others that they, too, are protected by God.

As Monsignor Shea clarifies, with regard to our young people, our aim in fostering the faith is not to try to create a “bubble” to protect them from the world. Rather, we must equip them to face the world, giving them an “arena” that nourishes them with “good food” and allows them to seek rest and sanctuary for a time. Tough situations are part of life and, with faith, we can hold onto the hope of redemption, as a balm for many of the negative “pathologies” our modern culture appears to have created.

In this Jubilee Year, may we turn to Scripture, the sacraments and each other, as Pilgrims of Hope. May we trust the words of the Beatitudes as well as those of St. Paul, who wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6–7).

Blessed are we who hope—and trust—in the Lord.

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