Inspired by Scholastica

 

Slivers of Hope

 

Society seems hopelessly corrupt

Nobody cares about God.

Yet there is hope

That God will set things right.

                                    Ps. 53

This is the introduction to psalm 53 in my book of psalms that I reflected on today. During these Advent days, I’m trying to see signs of hope. When I passed our amaryllis plant, which is only a slight sliver now, barely visible, I knew it would eventually become an exotic four-blossomed flower. But If I did not know that, I would have thought there’s not much hope there of producing anything.

 As I look around the world and listen to the news, I find only slight slivers of hope. I feel like the psalmist who said, “Society seems hopelessly corrupt. Nobody cares about God.”

 Yet there are a few signs of hope for those who have eyes to see. For example, Catholic Charities in Kansas City is offering job training programs to help people get a better paying job. A water project in Tanzania helps make clean water available to needy families. A number of cities have programs that offer a free hot meal for homeless people. Antony Blinken and others have been trying to negotiate peace between Israel and Gaza for several years. President Biden is exonerating prisoners who were incarnated for marijuana possession. He is also being urged to abolish the death penalty and change it to life in prison.

 There are many slivers of hope around the world if we focus on them instead of the wars and injustices. They may not seem like much, but some good people are trying to make a difference. And lots of people are praying for peace and justice.

 Hopefully these slivers of hope will continue to grow and blossom like the amaryllis. We need “hope that God will set things right.”

 

Barbara Mayer, OSB

 

 

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