I want to reflect on the theological virtue of Hope and how it differs from the natural virtue of hope. The distinction greatly informs our prayer life and where to find strength outside ourselves. The natural virtue of hope that is on display in heroic movies speaks about the human capacity to have motivation toward an absent good that is attainable though with some difficulty. The absent good is sometimes an ideal or it could be a natural good. First, a note on why the term "absent good" is used. It is in recognition that there ought to be this desired good present in the first place. Small example of a natural good being hoped for, you dish out a bowel of cereal and go for the milk in the fridge and there is none. There ought to be milk for the bowel of cereal, that's how it goes. Instead it is an absent good, and with some difficulty of having to take the time to go to the store, milk can be obtained (that's the hope at least). In a much more grand scale, the movie Braveheart, they ought to be a free people. Our freedom is a God-give right, but in their historical situation it was a very much absent good, which in turn they were willing to die for.

What if what we are hoping for, the absent good, cannot be obtained by our own skill set or problem-solving. This is where the theological virtue of hope changes everything. Unlike the natural virtue of hope which is by and large dependent on our own abilities and determination, hope as a theological virtue depends entirely on the goodness and power of God. We turn to God in moments when we don't have words, answers, solutions, or actions; when we are powerless to change the situation that is clearly absent of goodness. 

In a word, our hope as Christians resides in surrendering our present circumstances to Jesus Christ. This action of surrender unites us more closely with Jesus. We are inviting Our Lord into the absence of our life. That absence might be of a loved one, a sense of security, peace, etc. Those are absences that pain us and leave us wanting but with no strength to change our circumstances. But the Lord can and does. Our hope lies in what Jesus does upon the Cross which only He as God can do, bring Light out of the darkness. When we place our hope in God we are uniting ourselves with Him and open our hearts to receive His Way and His Life that always leads to the true good that we are made for.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Daily, we hear heartbreaking stories of suffering from Gaza. So many innocent victims, including those who belong to Christian communities, face violence, dire living conditions, and hunger. Our Holy Father Pope Leo has said “Gaza is starving,” as he called for a cease fire. In a particular way, the faces of Gaza’s hungry children make an indelible impression on our hearts.

Perhaps we feel helpless to address this complex story that involves international players. There is, however, a pathway for us to respond. Two very reliable agencies of the Catholic Church are already there providing vital emergency humanitarian relief and medical and psychological care for the sick, malnourished, and wounded. They are the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

On the weekend of September 6-7, the parishes of the Archdiocese of Chicago will take up a special collection that will be promptly forwarded to CNEWA and CRS. Whatever you can give will go far to alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East. I know the compassion and generosity of the people of the Archdiocese of Chicago. In the name of all those who will benefit from your support, I thank you.

Finally, let us pray urgently for the gift of peace in our wounded world, a peace which only the Lord can give.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Blase Cardinal Cupich

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