At daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.  They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, "Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day." And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. 

If we can manage to consider any evil in a specifically Christian way, we have in truth, nothing to fear. We always have the hope of eternal happiness. Of course, the Christian belief of hope does not take away the real pain and horror of the human evil. However, even with what has been called the greatest evil in modern times, the Holocaust, there were many incidents that brought about great hope. The movie “Life Is Beautiful” tells the story of one of them.

The Christian religion is first and foremost a hopeful religion. Even the most difficult of circumstances need never be feared because in the end, the Christian always has the hope of eternal life with God. We believe that Jesus brought that hope about by means of his Resurrection.

If only humankind could capture the hope that is contained in Guido’s protection of his son Joshua in the movie “Life Is Beautiful,” the world would be a better place. The world absolutely needs the attitude of love and joy that is portrayed by Guido even as he is punished unjustly. We must have the example of a family who loved each other so much that they would give their lives in order to stay together. Strengthened by the example of a man who wanted his son to have a happy childhood no matter what the circumstances, we can look at our own lives with hope. Such a hope can strengthen any life.

Christian life a spiritual battle. It is a battle between dwelling in the positive with the hope of eternal life as given to us in the Resurrection. Or it is one of dwelling in the negative, allowing the negative realities to dominate our lives and thinking. The way to win the spiritual battle lies not in changing the negative facts because we cannot change the facts. But it lies in changing the person who encounters the facts—us. One of the great spiritual truths of all times is very simply: we can change. The message of the Resurrection is that people changed as they understood what the hope of Jesus’ Resurrection meant.                        

THOUGHT
What are the characteristics of the virtue of Christian hope? 

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son rose from the dead, and consequently we are changed forever because now we have the hope of eternal life with God. Many do not seem to realize such a hope in the way they should. Help us allow the hope you gave us to truly penetrate our lives. Be with us, we pray. 

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America