Patient Hope

December 7, 2015 Year C

Romans 8:22-25

Today marks the anniversary of the tragedy at Pearl Harbor. Japan destroyed the naval base in a surprise attack. This eventually drew the United States into Word War II.

It would take hope – patient hope – which would eventually help the Allies win the war.

This same patient hope is what we need when we are dealing with another enemy – death. This passage in Romans speaks about the desire all of Christians for the resurrection (which Paul calls here the “redemption of our bodies” Romans 8:23). Overcoming death will require patient hope from the Christian.

As President Franklin Roosevelt said during his first inaugural address after being elected President in 1933:

So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

This quote was said almost a decade before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The same hope that Roosevelt instilled to the people who feared the worst of the Great Depression is the same hope that Roosevelt relied on when Japan attacked the United States. This hope that the Americans relied on was patient as it helped them through two major difficult situations in the nation’s history.

This same patient hope will help us through the most difficult part of our lives that we fear the most, the difficulty of death.

Prayer: God, help me to not fear, but learn to have patient hope through any disaster or difficulty in my life. Thank You God for Your help.