Mon 2nd Week of Lent Homily

The second encyclical letter written by Pope Benedict XVI is "Spes Salvi" "Saved in Hope. Taken from Romans 8:22 "In hope we were saved" The Christian life requires a change in the way that we look at the world. From our Christian life we cannot move through life's motions without having a purpose. If we have no purpose to set our glance upon we are lost without hope. Hope has been extended into our lives through the cross and the reality of the Resurrection of the body. It is through the resurrection that the Christian is given hope.

Our world reflects the lack of direction that is found in society because we have no goal to look towards. With all the tragedy of the world we can say that we have a glimpse into the life of those who lack hope. In the continuing advancement of society it seems that we have moved further and further away from hope because we have lost the sight of the resurrection and the Heavenly Kingdom and have become mere individuals. Individuals, who are never content, but are constantly trying to find that contentment in objects that will always leave us empty.

This same individualism cannot be brought into our life of faith. Our faith does not exist to serve us alone, but to bring service to all. In doing so we are looking towards the love that is found with Christ's sacrificial offering upon the cross. We should feel moved by Christ's love that is being poured out and desire to allow that love to flow into the lives of all that we encounter. We are instructed in today's Gospel that "the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." Often our experience of life results from doing things to serve our own needs or to build up pleasure within our life. If all the service that we give to others and prayers that we offer is built to serve ourselves then we can say that we have measured out nothing because we have only had concern for ourselves.

The hope that is found within our life will give true meaning to our lives. Our own suffering will be given meaning because from it will come greater glory. With hope we will realize that we are not building up perishing kingdoms for ourselves, but instead are looking towards the Kingdom that will never perish. For those who have lost hope the realization of hell exists because they have removed themselves from their relationship with God. In this state people have chosen to live where their whole life has become a lie where hatred has totally conquered over love. Despite all the sin that we have entered into the hope of Heaven remains inside of our life if we are open to mercy. At death none of us will equal the perfection of the divine, but hope remains because we will pass through Purgatory and be prepared to encounter our divine Lord. May we grow inside of this Lenten season in realizing the hope that is being extended into our lives that can conquer over all of our despair.