2 Apr 2020. Panic Pandemic

Trump critics claim false hope kills. “Trump peddles unsubstantiated hope in dark times” (CNN, 20 Mar 2020). “Coronavirus treatment: Dr. Donald Trump peddles snake oil and false hope” (USA Today, 21 Mar 2020).

St. Paul teaches otherwise. “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance” (Rom 8:24-25).

As Webster dictionary defines, hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

Hope is H.O.P.E. — Heart Open to Promise Endures.

Every politician peddles hope. They differ in intensity making promises. They differ in intention keeping promises. All voters can do is H.O.P.E.

Aristotle said, ‘Hope is the dream of a waking man.’ Hope fuels aspiration for things better. Hope drives the quest for success.

Benjamin Franklin, however, said, “He that lives upon hope will die fasting.”

There are, indeed, two sins against hope: despair and presumption (cf. CCC, §2091; 1Cor 10:12). Despair is the absence of hope; presumption is overdependence on hope. Despair can lead to death by suicide; presumption can lead to death by neglect.

Depression is the progression of hopelessness. When one loses hope, he loses his spirit. When one loses his spirit, he loses his mind. When one loses his mind, he loses his life.

When I am helpless, I cope in Hope in H.O.P.E. VSS   

Picture Credit: Photo of dark clouds by NEOSIAM 2020 at Pexels.com