HOPE, THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL. (Homily for January 17, 2017. Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time).

Bible Study: Hebrews 6, 10 to 20 and Mark 2, 23 to 28.


I guess you have heard the story of the four candles. Four candles slowly burned. The ambience was so soft, one could almost hear them talking. The first candle said: “I am Peace. The world is so full of anger and fighting. Nobody can keep me lit.” Then the flame of peace went out completely. The second candle said: “I am Faith. I am no longer indispensable. It doesn’t make sense that I stay lit another moment.” Just then a breeze softly blew Faith flame. Sadly, the third candle began to speak: “I am love. People don’t understand my importance so they simply put me aside. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.” And waiting no longer Love’s flame went out.

Suddenly a child entered the room and saw the three unlit candles. “Why aren’t you burning? You are supposed to stay lit till the end.” Saying this, the child began to cry. Then the fourth candle answered: “Don’t be afraid. I am Hope. While I am still burning we can re-light the other candles.”

Our first reading this morning seems to corroborate this story. It speaks of Hope as the strong anchor of our soul. “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf…” Hebrews 6:19-20. In this same reading, we are reminded of Abraham our father in Faith. You call how God promised him and failed for twenty five years? Yes, for a whole twenty five years, Abraham did not see the child that God said he would have. What kept him going for that long? Hope.

It is easy to talk about faith when things are going well. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. When you see those things, then your faith is boosted but when you do not see the evidence of your prayers; when things do not work for you as planned then you have nothing else to hang on to other than hope.

Hope is the ability to tell yourself that you can’t have it all today but tomorrow will be better. It is the willingness to wait even when you do not know when your waiting will end. It is the humility to accept that you are not in charge of your life after all and that God is not your servant either. It is the courage to keep dropping on your knees again and again even in the face of what looks like failure on the part of God to change your situation and answer your prayers.

Whatever it is that you are going through right now is known to God and he has a reason for letting it happen. For instance, in our Gospel passage this morning, it was rather unfortunate that Jesus and his disciples would go hungry on a Sabbath day, so hungry that they had no other choice but to pluck and eat grains directly from the field. And this was something forbidden on the Sabbath day. You know how you can be hungry that you begin to chew paper? So hungry that you don’t mind eating anything that comes your way? This was the state of suffering that Jesus and his disciples found themselves.  

Don’t get discouraged when things are not so good for you. In the face of economic recession, in the face of loss, hunger, deprivation or victimization. If you lose everything, don’t lose hope. One of my favourite saying is: “It is well.” Translated to pidgin, it reads as: “e go better.” Keep praying, and keep waiting, one day you will understand why it had to take so long for God to respond. Live positive; keep expecting something good and something great even when all you can see at the moment is dark and bleak.

There is always going to be light at the end of the tunnel. There will always be sunshine at daybreak. It is not always going to remain like this. As the earth rotates about its axis and revolves around the sun, movement is always going on, things just keep changing, nothing lasts forever, one day it will be your turn, since the earth has not stopped moving, one day it will move in your favour, things will turn for your good. Have Hope!

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, you knew what hunger meant. Give me food today. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.

Fr. Abu.


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