Hope Courage Perseverance

My Confraternity of St. Peter newsletter, Cum Petro, arrived, and as usual had good articles to read and thoughts to absorb. The issue focuses on difficulties, struggles and hope.

Each morning I say acts of Faith, Hope and Charity (the three theological virtues) with my other prayers.  These "acts" were learned early on in parochial school, along with other necessary prayers. The Act of Hope says:
     "O my God! relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins,
     the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer."

The newsletter,as it has before, quotes various saints on certain subjects.  This time the quotes are on Hope. Here are a few.

"When we find ourselves in some danger, we must not lose courage, but confide much in the Lord; for where danger is great, great also is the assistance of Him Who is called our Helper in tribulation."
     St. Ambrose

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
     St. Paul

"Behold Jesus Christ crucified, who is the only foundation of our hope; He is our Mediator and Advocate; the victim and sacrifice for our sins. He is goodness and patience itself; his mercy is moved by the tears of sinners, and He never refuses pardon and grace to those who ask it with a truly contrite and humbled heart."
     St. Chrles Borromeo

"If God gives you an abundant harvest of trials, it is a sign of great holiness which He desires you to attain. Do you want to become a great saint? Ask God to send you many sufferings. The flame of Divine Love never rises higher than when fed with the wood of the Cross, which the infinite charity of the Savior used to finish His sacrifice. All the pleasures of the world are nothing compared with the sweetness found in the gall and vinegar offered to Jesus Christ. That is, hard and painful things endured for Jesus Christ and with Jesus Christ."
     St. Ignatius of Loyola

Remember that the loss of hope, which is despair, is said to be the one sin that can not be forgiven. Judas despaired, lost all hope and did not trust in the love of His Lord, even though he repented of his sin. We have many battles to fight on this earth. Some are physical, some are spiritual. None are so difficult that we are not able to overcome. If we have hope - and faith - even battles we seem to be losing can be turned into victories. We may lose some, but perseverance and courage are part of hope and spur us on to attain our final goal.

I happened to see a quote from G.K. Chesterton today,  that says, "The one perfectly divine thing, the one glimpse of God's paradise on earth, is to fight a losing battle - and not lose it."  In other words, Christ will help us, and in the end we will win.

Cum Petro offers these Reflections on the Virtue of Hope
    1. Do I immediately say a short prayer when I find myself getting discouraged?
    2. Do I daily say a short act of hope?
    3. Do I dwell on my worries instead of dismissing thme from my mind?
    4. Do I fail in the virtue of hope by my attachment to the things of this world?
    5. Do I try to see God's providence in everything that "happens" in my life?
    6. Do I try to see everything from the viewpoint of eternity?
    7. Am I confident that, with God's grace, I will be saved?
    8. do I allow myself to worry about my past life and thus weaken my hope in God's mercy?
    9. Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help?
  10. How often today have I complained, even internally?

                            "In peace, in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest:
                            For thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope." 
                                        Psalm 15;9,10