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Steadfast Hope
By Sister M. Dominica Michalke, SSND
The wonderful invitation to be pilgrims of hope given by Pope Francis for the Jubilee Year 2025 sounds challenging against the background of what is happening on our planet Earth: global warming without the necessary efforts to reduce our influence on the climate; wars and civil wars in many countries, often unknown to us; discrimination
and exclusion of people due to religion, origin, gender, health, wealth, etc.politicians who seem to be incapable of leading their countries for the wellbeing of all, and much more.
There is so much that can diminish our hope if we look at the global reality. There is the danger to be discouraged and to turn away from all the distress. However, we listen to Jesus‘ words: “Don’t be afraid, have courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33)
Reading the articles of this publication In Mission shows that it is possible to sow seeds of hope in our daily lives. I once read a story about “luck” that comes to my mind, and I change it to "hope.”
Two children set out to search for hope. They walked the entire day and at night reached the house of a kind old man who invited them to stay overnight.
After supper the children asked the old man if he could teach them about hope. The man brought them into another room with two small chairs and with a chain and a rope hanging down from the ceiling. “Here you may find the answer,” the man said. The children sat in the room for a long time but did not know what the chain and the rope would tell them about hope.
The next day, the old man shared his wisdom with them: Many people look at hope and see hope as a chain. Many rings form the chain, and if one element is broken the entire chain is useless. So, if something happens in their lives, people lose hope because of one broken ring.
Other people see hope like a rope. It is formed by many threads, interwoven with one another. If one thread is weak or torn, there are still all the other threads that allow the rope to be used. So, if something happens to these people in their lives, they keep their hope because only one of many elements is damaged, but all the others remain.
Our community as School Sisters of Notre Dame is such a rope in our world, together with many other groups rooted in Christian values. Our rope can connect two ends, can give guidance or protect you from danger on the other side of the rope. Even with meager resources we hear the call to be prophetic witnesses of universal communion in our world today and walk the steps we are able to go.
See the rope – and live the hope!
