Once again the season of Advent is upon us to remind us that our God loves us beyond our understanding and has done so since the beginning of time.
Advent is indeed a time of expectation, a time of hope.
It offers us the opportunity to celebrate our conviction that as God’s children we are destined to spend eternity praising and glorifying the Triune God for all and any love we have known in our lives. So, as we gather our thoughts and sentiments at this time looking forward to rebirthing Christ the Savior in our own lives on Christmas, we offer this poem by Charles Péguy for reflection as December and winter hover over us. Advent is a time of preparation, and hope leads the way and begins to forge the path that leads us ever closer to the One for whom our souls long. A blessed and fruitful advent to all who hope!
The Hope of Charles de Péguy
The kind of faith that I prefer, says God,
is Hope.
Faith, that does not surprise me.
It is not surprising,
I am so visible in my creation.
But Hope, says God,
that surprises me.
That is surprising.
Everything these poor children see and how everything happens
and they still believe that tomorrow things will improve,
that they see how things happen today
and that they believe it will be better tomorrow.
That is surprising,
and it is the greatest wonder of our grace
and I myself am surprised by it.
In fact, my grace must be an unbelievable force
and it must come from a source
that resembles an inexhaustible river.
A little hope emerges between its two big sisters,
and we do not even pay attention.
On the road of salvation,
on this earthly route,
on the even route of salvation,
on the unending road,
on the road between the two big sisters,
a little hope emerges.
It is this little one who sets everything into motion,
because faith only sees what is,
but hope sees what will be.
Charity only loves what is,
but hope sees what will be.
Faith sees what is in time and eternity,
but Hope sees what will be in time and eternity,
So to speak, in the future of eternity itself.
