13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Reflection
Hope is a big deal.
Hope inspires even the weakest people to do amazing things.
There are tons of quotes alluding to its tenacity and endurance.
I remember a line from The Prince of Egypt, “Though hope is frail, it’s hard to kill.” This is how I imagined hope: fragile, a teeny tiny candle surrounded by vast darkness. That spark is small, but as long as it’s there, it can grow.
These days, that feels cliche and isn’t very helpful to me.
These days I feel like Hate has been working out in his mother’s basement, and he and his buddy, Fear, are now on some bender, brawling with anything and everything, leaving a path of destruction and heaps of innocent victims strewn in every direction.
These days, I need something stronger.
In March of 2022, Matthew @CrowsFault, posted this quote on X/Twitter that has since grown in popularity, “People speak of Hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing made of whispers and spider’s webs. It’s not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, and the grit of cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as she rises for another go.”
This is it. This taps into my aspirations to be like Captain Marvel, CIA Agent Sarah Walker, and Katniss Everdeen. This is the representation of hope that gives me strength when I feel like Hate punched me in the gut. Hope is a heroine. Hope kicks butt and takes names. Hope gets back up again because the Holy Spirit refuses to let her and all the goodness in the world die.
No, this quote does not bring to mind joy or peace, as mentioned in today’s scripture, but it does bring to mind power. Power fueled by a flame that is the Holy Spirit. Power that gives us the strength and desire to defeat oppressors and their hate, even if it takes a few tries.
It’s important to note that Hope is not alone, as emphasized in this scripture. Faith is there too. Hope and Faith are inseperable. Hope and Faith are besties that hold your hand, and lash tyrants with mockery and snark. Eternal protectors and caretakers of the marginalized and struggling.
For me, it feels good to imagine Hope and Faith as my two friends who will be there when I’ve been knocked down. They bring water, they pick me up, they help me take a step in the right direction (usually toward chocolate). Hope and Faith are standing in the picket line with you, sharing snacks, telling stories, and cheering with the supportive honks that drive by. They are really just two new faces for the love Jesus has to share, and two bodies that breathe because the Holy Spirit said, “go to her.”
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
These days, it’s easy to feel knocked down. Are you feeling like certain subjects just take the wind out of you? Yeah, me too. How do you picture Hope? How do you picture Faith?
What are the thoughts, or who are the people that restore your hope and faith?
Is there anything or anyone that has recently been stirring some hope in you that maybe you hadn’t noticed until you really thought about it? How? Why?
What are you hopeful for today? This week?
Prayer: Dear Lord, blessed is the spring that brings with it the sunshine, new life, and new hopes. You know those of us who struggle even as the sun shines longer and the flowers bloom. Sometimes we need a new face to appear and say, “Hey, Friend, I know where there is chocolate. Forget that [tyrant] and let’s have a snack.” How miraculous that the Holy Spirit can breathe life into anything that gives us the strength and awakens hope and faith within us. We are grateful for your love and patience as we all navigate these unsettling times. Amen.
