Hope in the Lord

Cue the ominous music. Flash pictures of suffering and death. It could only one of two options on the TV. It is either a commercial for SPCA or any number of United Nations endorsed organizations to help people in far-away countries. These commercials draw at your emotions while promising comfort to others. Unfortunately, the comfort these commercials promise is really about others, but comforting your guilt.

We tend to feel guilty when we are sitting in the luxury of our 21st Century, oversized, climate controlled, and costly living room watching our large screen flat TV, with the knowledge that others do not have the comforts that we enjoy. It is easy in the safety of our first world lives to think a “dollar a day” will ever save anyone, but the music and pictures are too much to bear. We logon on and donate.

The problem isn’t with our willingness to donate, even if driven by guilt. The problem is in what the world thinks people need to restore their hope. Hope doesn’t come from possessions, but from faith. As I mentioned yesterday, we tend to keep worldly things as our idols rather than depending upon God. If these commercials were truly interested in bringing hope rather than guilt, the pictures would be of worship and Christ. Alas, the world has its god. We have our God.

Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am He. The coastlands have seen and are afraid, the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near and come. Every one helps his neighbor, and says to his brother, “Take courage!” The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who smoothes with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, “It is good”; and they fasten it with nails so that it cannot be moved. But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, says the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. – Isaiah 41.4-14

As today’s reading from Isaiah reminds us, the worldly gods will fall away and decay, and those who follow them will be lost. God is the first and last. All things begin and end with God, including hope. If you really want to help others find hope, don’t waste time brining them material goods. Bring them God, and their hope will never fade, even if their possessions do.

Today is the feast of Saint Eutychios, the Patriarch of Constantinople. His troparion says it all.

A model of faith and the image of gentleness, the example of your life has shown you forth to your sheep-fold to be a master of temperance. You obtained thus through being lowly, gifts from on high, and riches through poverty. Eutychios, our father and priest of priests, intercede with Christ our God that He may save our souls.

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