Hope Springs Eternal

You have probably heard the familiar saying, “Hope springs eternal.” Often it is associated with the belief that people will continue to hope even though they have evidence that things cannot possibly turn out the way they want. In the midst of a hopeless situation, the irony is that sometimes only hope can get you though.

This phrase is taken from Alexander Pope’s poem, Essay on Man:

Hope springs eternal in the human breast;

Man never Is, but always To be blest:

The soul, uneasy and confin’d from home,

Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

 

I rather like those first three words and I find that phrase particularly inspiring during this time of year.  I currently live in Paris, France and in the winter this city can be dark and cloudy.  My friends and family back home in the Northeast of the United States endured a particularly long, cold and snowy winter.  For many, these seasons reflect the inner condition of the heart.  Often we go through winter seasons of our soul and spirit, where darkness and isolation become the norm. But alas, there is hope because springtime lies around the corner.

Hope.

Hope can be defined as to desire with expectation of obtainment.  Hope and faith, although distinct, are interconnected. Faith is a commitment to a belief and originates in our minds.  Hope, on the other hand, comes from our heart and expresses deep longings.  To hope is to be human and to be real and honest with ourselves and God. The question remains as to what we hope for.  Do we place our hope in the temporary, fleeting, or finite?  Or are those longings?

 

Springs.

In my Christian community here we join together to celebrate the season of Lent. This 40-day  journey focusses on the last days of Jesus’s life and ministry as he pilgrimed towards his destiny.  The English word lent derives from the Germanic root for Spring.  To be honest, I feel like a new person when springtime arrives.  The birds begin chirping again, flowers are budding, Orchids are in bloom and the days lengthen. This proves analogous with our spiritual lives as well. This season in the Church calendar reminds us that we too were once in darkness but have now seen a light. We emerge from the shadowy graves of winter and actively spring forth into renewed vitality and life. Springtime reminds us that when there is light there also exists life.  As a Christian, I am reminded that Christ is the light of world and that he came to give us new life.

 

Eternal.

The reason why Christians have hope is because it is based on God’s redemptive work that lasts for eternity.  We are offered but a momentary glimpse into what awaits us in Heaven.  The Easter season foreshadows the resurrected life that we all take part in.  Though I do not enjoy the long winter season, I realize that going through it prepares me to appreciate spring all the more when it arrives.

Perhaps you are coming through a winter season of your soul.  May the hope of new life spring your heart forward in this season and may the light of God’s love grow longer and brighter in the days ahead.

Together, may we provide hope and life to those in need around our world this springtime.

Together, may we become Orchids of Light!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtmhxsCUDPo&list=UUza3-awzYYpo9KMovQI1aQA

 

 

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