By Francis Fernandez-Carvajal
4/57.1 Foundations of theological hope.
The Liturgy of the Word this Sunday reminds us that life on earth is a short wait for our Lord’s return. The faith which guides our footsteps is precisely the certainty in things hoped for,[4616] as we see in the Second Reading. By means of this theological virtue the Christian acquires a firm certainty in regard to our Lord’s promises, and a possession – in advance – of the divine gifts. Through faith, we know with certainty two fundamental truths of human existence: that we are made for heaven and therefore all else should be ordered and subordinated to this supreme end; and that our Lord wants to help us reach this end with an abundance of supernatural means.[4617] Nothing should dishearten us on the road to sanctity because we lean on three basic truths: God is all powerful; God has a great love for me; God is faithful to his promises. It is He, the God of mercies, who fills me with confidence. With him, I do not feel alone, or useless, or abandoned, but involved in a plan of salvation that one day will lead to Paradise.[4618] The Goodness, Wisdom and Omnipotence of God are the firm basis of human hope.
God is all-powerful. To him everything is subject – the wind, the seas, health and sickness, the heavens and the earth ... He uses and disposes everything for the salvation of my soul and of all men. He does not fail to look after the good of each of his children, even those who seem most alone and abandoned. God places his strength at the service of the salvation and sanctification of men. Only the misuse of freedom can render God’s help sterile. But forgiveness is always possible. It is always possible to open the doors to let hope enter in. God is all-powerful. He can do everything; He is our Father and He is Love.[4619]
God has a great love for me, as if I were his only Son. He never abandons me in my pilgrimage on earth. He looks for me when through my own fault I have lost him. He loves me with deeds, disposing everything for the good of my soul. The love of our earthly mother and father, with all its warmth, is only a pale reflection of God’s love.
God is faithful to his promises in spite of our failings and lack of loyalty, our lack of correspondence to what Our Lord asks. He never fails us. He does not tire: He has patience – infinite patience– with men. While we walk on this earth, He does not abandon anyone; no one is a hopeless case, a lost cause. God is always the Father of the prodigal son, the Father who daily looks out impatiently, waiting for his son’s return. He has a feast prepared for his arrival.
Our Lord awaits our sincere conversion and more generous correspondence. He wants us to be always vigilant and not fall into lukewarmness. Hope is intimately related with vigilance and depends to a great extent on love.[4620]
In Conversation With God
ICWG is rich and extensive enough to serve as your spiritual reading for a lifetime, as it helps you relate the particulars of the message of Christ to the ordinary circumstances of your day.
In Conversation With God
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rev. Francis Fernandez-Carvajal
Rev. Francis Fernández-Carvajal is a Priest of the Opus Dei Prelature and the author of many popular spiritual works. His seven-volume series In Conversation with God provides over 500 meditations to be used throughout the liturgical year. It has sold over 2 million copies and has been translated into many languages.
Rev. Francis Fernandez-Carvajal
Rev. Francis Fernández-Carvajal is a Priest of the Opus Dei Prelature and the author of many popular spiritual works. His seven-volume series In Conversation with God provides over 500 meditations to be used throughout the liturgical year. It has sold over 2 million copies and has been translated into many languages.
