EASTER HOPE
Resources on Hope
In this time of uncertainty and pain, it is important to be honest about our struggles, to bring them to God in our prayer, a God who suffers with us. But as a Resurrection people, we know that hope is never fully lost. With that in mind, this Easter season we are sharing resources that give you hope!
These can include inspiring works by others or self-created works - a reflection, poem, prayer, video, song, or artwork - all are welcome! If you have something you think would bring hope to our community, please share it on the webform here or email it directly to bellarminevol@xavier.edu
Many thanks to Mary Anne Reese for compiling so many of the resources offered below!
In this time of uncertainty and pain, it is important to be honest about our struggles, to bring them to God in our prayer, a God who suffers with us. But as a Resurrection people, we know that hope is never fully lost. With that in mind, this Easter season we are sharing resources that give you hope!
These can include inspiring works by others or self-created works - a reflection, poem, prayer, video, song, or artwork - all are welcome! If you have something you think would bring hope to our community, please share it on the webform here or email it directly to bellarminevol@xavier.edu
Many thanks to Mary Anne Reese for compiling so many of the resources offered below!
I. SCRIPTURES
A. 2 Corinthians 4: 7-17
But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being give up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh…. Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God. Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.
B. Romans 5: 1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
C. Romans 15: 13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
D. Romans 12: 12
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.
E. Matthew 11:28
“Come to me all you who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.”
F. 1 Peter 3:15
“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.”
G. Ephesians 1:17-18
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.
H. Hebrews 6:19
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul.
I. Romans 8: 38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
J. Psalm 25:1-6
In you O Lord my God I place my trust
I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior, and my hope is in your all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
K. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the Lord—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.
A. 2 Corinthians 4: 7-17
But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being give up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh…. Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God. Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.
B. Romans 5: 1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
C. Romans 15: 13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
D. Romans 12: 12
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.
E. Matthew 11:28
“Come to me all you who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.”
F. 1 Peter 3:15
“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.”
G. Ephesians 1:17-18
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.
H. Hebrews 6:19
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul.
I. Romans 8: 38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
J. Psalm 25:1-6
In you O Lord my God I place my trust
I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior, and my hope is in your all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
K. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the Lord—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.
Winterslop by Eugene Avergon
II. QUOTES
"Hope is not blind optimism. It is not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It's not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight.
“Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it."
--Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
--
“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”
–St. John XXIII (1881-1963)
--
I do not believe in death without resurrection. If they kill me I will rise again in the people of El Salvador.
--Blessed Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador (1917-1980)
“Endurance shines as the hallmark of the prophets, the lodestone of the prophetic. Those who are willing to endure when endurance looks insane, has no hope of prevailing, consumes everything else in its path, are those who know a greater truth, a more promising hope, a truer way to wholeness than the world around them has to offer. That kind of endurance is of God. It transcends human concerns and demands human attention. That kind of endurance holds on to the divine in life even when life itself gives in to making gods of gold in deserts of sand. Prophetic endurance holds on, cries out, speaks up, stands pat whatever the pressure, however long the time, until, whether or not they agree, people listen and think. . .
--Joan Chittister, OSB (excerpt from her weekly Vision and Viewpoint Newsletter, accessible at http://www.joanchittister.org/newsletters
"Hope is not blind optimism. It is not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It's not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight.
“Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it."
--Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
--
“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”
–St. John XXIII (1881-1963)
--
I do not believe in death without resurrection. If they kill me I will rise again in the people of El Salvador.
--Blessed Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador (1917-1980)
“Endurance shines as the hallmark of the prophets, the lodestone of the prophetic. Those who are willing to endure when endurance looks insane, has no hope of prevailing, consumes everything else in its path, are those who know a greater truth, a more promising hope, a truer way to wholeness than the world around them has to offer. That kind of endurance is of God. It transcends human concerns and demands human attention. That kind of endurance holds on to the divine in life even when life itself gives in to making gods of gold in deserts of sand. Prophetic endurance holds on, cries out, speaks up, stands pat whatever the pressure, however long the time, until, whether or not they agree, people listen and think. . .
--Joan Chittister, OSB (excerpt from her weekly Vision and Viewpoint Newsletter, accessible at http://www.joanchittister.org/newsletters
Advent Icon detail by Holly Schapker
III. ARTICLES / REFLECTIONS / BLOGS
A. “The Examen Always Ends with Hope,” by Marina McCoy, IgnatianSpirituality.com (Loyola Press)
http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/19977/the-examen-always-ends-with-hope
B. Pope Francis’ address to the Jesuits at their General Congregation meeting: October 24, 2016
http://gc36.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Papal-address-24-10-16.pdf
C. Brain Pickings
https://brainpickings.org An Inventory of the Meaningful Life, Maria Popova, web editor
Brain Pickings is a cross-disciplinary treasure chest, full of pieces spanning art, science, psychology, design, philosophy, history, politics, anthropology, and more; pieces that enrich our mental pool of resources and empower combinatorial ideas that are stronger, smarter, richer, deeper and more impactful. Above all, it’s about how these different disciplines illuminate one another to glean some insight, directly or indirectly, into that grand question of how to live, and how to live well.
D. On Being: The Civil Conversations Project
www.civilconversationsproject.org
The Civil Conversations Project (CCP) is an emergent resource for renewing public discourse and nourishing common life in this century. The CCP began as a series of public radio shows and has become a portfolio within On Being’s body of work: radio shows, podcasts, live events, and digital offerings that open, inspire, and ground new spaces for conversation and relationship across the differences of our age.
The On Being media space draws a countercultural mix of humanity around subjects of meaning, personal and social change, and civic belonging.
E. StoryCorps
https://storycorps.org
StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. We do this to remind one another of our shared humanity, to strengthen and build the connections between people, to teach the value of listening, and to weave into the fabric of our culture the understanding that everyone’s story matters. At the same time, we are creating an invaluable archive for future generations.
F. Upstanders
https://upstanders.starbucks.com
Upstanders is an original collection of short stories, films and podcasts sharing the experiences of Upstanders—ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. Produced by Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the Upstanders series helps inspire us to be better citizens.
G. “The Audacity and Practice of Christian Hope” by Paul J. Wadell, America Magazine, Nov. 21, 2016 issue
http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/not-settling-less
H. “The Virtue of Hope” by Ladislas Orsy, America Magazine, Dec. 5, 2016 issue
http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/553/faith-focus/virtue-hope
I. “Holding Up Hope” by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice online journal
http://tinyurl.com/gmbyx9s
J. Capacitar (source information on the meditative movement in our Saturday morning prayer)
www.capacitar.org
Capacitar is an international network of empowerment and solidarity. It teaches simple wellness practices, team building and self-development to awaken people to their own wisdom, strength and resources. From personal healing and transformation, people can reach out to their families and communities to heal injustice and create a more peaceful world.
Snow Branch by Diana Avergon
IV. MUSIC (most available via YouTube)
1. Edward Elgar--his Enigma Variations: "Nimrod"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhnMd1Jl7SA
In video, images of stars and outer space accompany the music. Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was a Catholic who lived in Protestant Britain and composed sacred and secular music. At one point, Elgar wanted to give up music after suffering a fit of depression, but his friend encouraged him to continue and this is what he came up with. Brendan Hemmerle says: “It's amazing to me how the harmonies and swelling of louds and softs (forte e piano) evoke that experience of hope. The images of stars and suns and planets and all to do with outer space remind me of what it means to dream and wonder...and in so doing, hope is engendered and grows throughout.”
Brendan adds that the piece makes him think of the passage in 1 Kings 19:11-13 in which Elijah waited to hear God's voice. It came not in an earthquake or fire, but as a "still small voice" or "gentle whisper." “The music of Elgar's ‘Nimrod’ variation,” says Brendan, “makes me think of this story--with the fortes being earthquake and fire, and the pianos and gentle sections being like God's gentle voice. It's ultimately that gentle quiet sound that sparks hope, and it can grow immensely to where we accomplish something so great, even beyond our dreams...”
2. Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5al0HmR4to
3. Leonard Cohen, “Anthem”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wRYjtvIYK0
4. Bernadette Farrell’s “Everyday God” (Oregon Catholic Press)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1oNP4vaW_c
5. Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q
6. Bob Dylan and Patti Smith, “Dark Eyes”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLEkrS0CWK8
7. Ferde Grofe - Sunrise from the Grand Canyon Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-4hYbqZ0zQ
8. Andrea Bocelli - Music for Hope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huTUOek4LgU
1. Edward Elgar--his Enigma Variations: "Nimrod"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhnMd1Jl7SA
In video, images of stars and outer space accompany the music. Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was a Catholic who lived in Protestant Britain and composed sacred and secular music. At one point, Elgar wanted to give up music after suffering a fit of depression, but his friend encouraged him to continue and this is what he came up with. Brendan Hemmerle says: “It's amazing to me how the harmonies and swelling of louds and softs (forte e piano) evoke that experience of hope. The images of stars and suns and planets and all to do with outer space remind me of what it means to dream and wonder...and in so doing, hope is engendered and grows throughout.”
Brendan adds that the piece makes him think of the passage in 1 Kings 19:11-13 in which Elijah waited to hear God's voice. It came not in an earthquake or fire, but as a "still small voice" or "gentle whisper." “The music of Elgar's ‘Nimrod’ variation,” says Brendan, “makes me think of this story--with the fortes being earthquake and fire, and the pianos and gentle sections being like God's gentle voice. It's ultimately that gentle quiet sound that sparks hope, and it can grow immensely to where we accomplish something so great, even beyond our dreams...”
2. Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5al0HmR4to
3. Leonard Cohen, “Anthem”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wRYjtvIYK0
4. Bernadette Farrell’s “Everyday God” (Oregon Catholic Press)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1oNP4vaW_c
5. Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q
6. Bob Dylan and Patti Smith, “Dark Eyes”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLEkrS0CWK8
7. Ferde Grofe - Sunrise from the Grand Canyon Suite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-4hYbqZ0zQ
8. Andrea Bocelli - Music for Hope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huTUOek4LgU
Ice Trees by Eugene Avergon
V. POETRY (some are read on YouTube)
1. “What Any Tree Can Tell You” by Ivan Lalic (Serbia 1931-1996)
http://artemiswhisper.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-any-tree-can-tell-you.html
2. “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/133.html
3. “A Little Hope” by Charles Peguey (submitted by Connie Widmer)
"I am, God says, Master of three virtues.
Faith is a faithful spouse.
Charity is a mother burning with devotion.
But hope is a very small girl.
I am, God says, Master of three virtues.
Charity is she who extends herself over the centuries.
But my little hope
is the one who each morning
says Good Day to us.
I am, God says, Master of three virtues.
Faith it is who keeps watch down the ages;
Charity it is who keeps watch down the ages.
But little hope it is
who goes to bed every evening,
and who gets up each morning,
having slept soundly through the night.
I am, God says, the Master of Three Virtues.
Faith is a soldier, a captain who defends a fortress.
A town belonging to the King,
On the marches of Gascony, on the marches of Lorraine.
Charity is a doctor, a Little Sister of the poor,
Who nurses the sick, who nurses the wounded,
The poor subjects of the King,
On the marches of Gascony, on the marches of Lorraine.
But it is my little hope
Who says good-day to the poor man and the orphan.
I am, God says, the Lord of the Virtues.
Faith is a church, a cathedral rooted in the soil of France
Charity is a hospital, an alms-house which gathers up wretchedness of the world.
But without hope it would be nothing but a cemetery.
I am, God says, the Lord of the Virtues.
It is Faith who watches through centuries of centuries.
It is Charity who watches through centuries of centuries.
But it is my little hope
who lies down every evening
and gets up every morning
and really has very good nights.
I am, God says, the Lord of that virtue.
It is my little hope
who goes to sleep every evening,
in her child’s bed,
after having said a good prayer,
and who wakes every morning and gets up
and says her prayers with new attention.
I am, God says, Lord of the Three Virtues.
Faith is a great tree, an oak rooted in the heart of France,
And under the wings of that tree,
Charity, my daughter Charity shelters all the distress of the world.
And my little hope is only that little promise of a bud which shows itself at the very beginning of April."
4. Charles Peguy, Poem, “The Portal of the Mystery of Hope”
reflections and excerpts:
http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/mystery-hope
http://tinyurl.com/zuzppt6
5. “Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42889/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-314
6. “A Thousand Mornings” by Mary Oliver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSZ2luCD3rk
7. “The Convent Ginkgo Tree” by Mary Anne Reese
After the growing
season has ended
and the frost has robbed
the land of life,
the ginkgo tree drops
all its leaves at once.
News spreads.
The sisters gather
in pouring down leaves
to cheer the old tree on.
I stand apart, breathe
the chill and realize
how little I know
of generosity--
to give everything
in a single day, to trust
that spring may come again.
All the nuns depart
but one. I have to catch
a leaf, she says.
She reaches, jumps,
pulls gold from the air.
8. Excerpts from “A Poem on Hope” BY Wendell Berry
It is hard to have hope. It is harder as you grow old,
for hope must not depend on feeling good
and there’s the dream of loneliness at absolute midnight.
. . . Be still and listen to the voices that belong
to the stream banks and the trees and the open fields.
Find your hope, then, on the ground under your feet.
9. Excerpt from a poem by Rumi
There is a secret medicine given only to those who hurt so hard they can't hope. The hopers would feel slighted if they knew.
10. “A Great Need” by Hafiz
https://poets.org/poem/great-need
11. Because We Are Yours by Catholic Relief Services
Parishioner Laurie Roche has turned this poem into a lovely reflection by adding her own photos.
1. “What Any Tree Can Tell You” by Ivan Lalic (Serbia 1931-1996)
http://artemiswhisper.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-any-tree-can-tell-you.html
2. “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/133.html
3. “A Little Hope” by Charles Peguey (submitted by Connie Widmer)
"I am, God says, Master of three virtues.
Faith is a faithful spouse.
Charity is a mother burning with devotion.
But hope is a very small girl.
I am, God says, Master of three virtues.
Charity is she who extends herself over the centuries.
But my little hope
is the one who each morning
says Good Day to us.
I am, God says, Master of three virtues.
Faith it is who keeps watch down the ages;
Charity it is who keeps watch down the ages.
But little hope it is
who goes to bed every evening,
and who gets up each morning,
having slept soundly through the night.
I am, God says, the Master of Three Virtues.
Faith is a soldier, a captain who defends a fortress.
A town belonging to the King,
On the marches of Gascony, on the marches of Lorraine.
Charity is a doctor, a Little Sister of the poor,
Who nurses the sick, who nurses the wounded,
The poor subjects of the King,
On the marches of Gascony, on the marches of Lorraine.
But it is my little hope
Who says good-day to the poor man and the orphan.
I am, God says, the Lord of the Virtues.
Faith is a church, a cathedral rooted in the soil of France
Charity is a hospital, an alms-house which gathers up wretchedness of the world.
But without hope it would be nothing but a cemetery.
I am, God says, the Lord of the Virtues.
It is Faith who watches through centuries of centuries.
It is Charity who watches through centuries of centuries.
But it is my little hope
who lies down every evening
and gets up every morning
and really has very good nights.
I am, God says, the Lord of that virtue.
It is my little hope
who goes to sleep every evening,
in her child’s bed,
after having said a good prayer,
and who wakes every morning and gets up
and says her prayers with new attention.
I am, God says, Lord of the Three Virtues.
Faith is a great tree, an oak rooted in the heart of France,
And under the wings of that tree,
Charity, my daughter Charity shelters all the distress of the world.
And my little hope is only that little promise of a bud which shows itself at the very beginning of April."
4. Charles Peguy, Poem, “The Portal of the Mystery of Hope”
reflections and excerpts:
http://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/mystery-hope
http://tinyurl.com/zuzppt6
5. “Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42889/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-314
6. “A Thousand Mornings” by Mary Oliver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSZ2luCD3rk
7. “The Convent Ginkgo Tree” by Mary Anne Reese
After the growing
season has ended
and the frost has robbed
the land of life,
the ginkgo tree drops
all its leaves at once.
News spreads.
The sisters gather
in pouring down leaves
to cheer the old tree on.
I stand apart, breathe
the chill and realize
how little I know
of generosity--
to give everything
in a single day, to trust
that spring may come again.
All the nuns depart
but one. I have to catch
a leaf, she says.
She reaches, jumps,
pulls gold from the air.
8. Excerpts from “A Poem on Hope” BY Wendell Berry
It is hard to have hope. It is harder as you grow old,
for hope must not depend on feeling good
and there’s the dream of loneliness at absolute midnight.
. . . Be still and listen to the voices that belong
to the stream banks and the trees and the open fields.
Find your hope, then, on the ground under your feet.
9. Excerpt from a poem by Rumi
There is a secret medicine given only to those who hurt so hard they can't hope. The hopers would feel slighted if they knew.
10. “A Great Need” by Hafiz
https://poets.org/poem/great-need
11. Because We Are Yours by Catholic Relief Services
Parishioner Laurie Roche has turned this poem into a lovely reflection by adding her own photos.