Hickey Theology

In the season of Advent, we are invited to intentionally pay attention – to watch and wait – when we steadily light more candles each week in anticipation of the Light of God coming into this world. As much as this season is about preparing for Christmas – or even counter-culturally the return of Christ in judgment – it is about keeping alert to the Advent of Christ around us daily.

We do this by spreading the light of hope through doing the work that God has given us to do, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, visit those in prison. Which might look like, answering the door or the text message, attending to the still small voice in the middle of the night, being present with the grieving friend, giving food to the food pantry year-round (because the need is always there), responding with compassion to those fighting battles we cannot always see or imagine.

It is all about hope, and turns out that paying attention, waiting, and watching are not passive endeavors – but instead require our action – answering, feeding, listening, welcoming, giving, responding. So then, Advent brings past, present and future in an unending scheme of things that are under God’s control. Recalling past good, and celebrating God’s presence in the now, are the bases for our confidence in what is to come.
               So, no matter how challenging the present might be, hope is our watchword. And as a people of hope, we must certainly bring hope into situations that would provoke hopelessness in others. Advent is a good time to act decisively in bringing help, hope and heart action that can change sad hearts into thankful ones.  Let us do to, with and for others, as much good as we can to show the love of God.

               Maybe lighting a candle on our Advent wreath, bringing a gift for the angel tree, or pulling back the veil of despair for someone in need – shining the light of hope into their life.

But hope is not a noun. Hope is a verb. It is active, ever-living, restless. It needs to be nurtured, taught, envisioned, shared. Hope for healing; hope for community; hope for global brother- and sisterhood; hope for transformation; hope for a world where neighbors do unto others; hope for a future of grace, mercy, and love.

I believe in the power of hope, but we need to be careful to understand what it is, and what it isn’t. Hope is not the same as blind optimism, or some naive belief that everything will turn out okay if we just sit still. It’s an active frame of mind, an active frame of heart. It asks us to act, not just receive. To work, to sweat, to love, to risk it all. It challenges us to build a better world, against the real possibility of failure, not merely to expect that others, or invisible hands, will do the work for us.

In other words, hope is really a verb, while optimism is a noun. Don’t confuse the two. It’s important to say what hope is not: it is not the belief that everything was, is, or will be fine. The evidence is all around us of tremendous suffering and tremendous destruction. The hope we should be interested in is about broad perspectives with specific possibilities, ones that invite or demand that we act.”

  Jesus said, “you are the light of the world.” When we are grounded in the unconditional love of God, we can bring light into the darkness and hope into a world that is falling apart, giving thanks to God each day and in all circumstances. Yes, Hope is a verb, but without hope we have nothing. So, we must stay alert to where it is needed most and share it freely.  Until Next Time              Grace and Peace