What Is The Hope Today?

Hope is another one of those concepts that moves around the Christmas Season. 

What is the hope? 

  

“Hope is a subjective projection of the future….The expectation of good!  It is linked with trust and yearning…”(Theo. Dic) 

1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news… 

What, then, is the expectation?

What is the  good news…?

What is your hope?

And on what does your hope rest?

In the very first line of the Gospel of Mark Jesus tells his listener:  The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,….   This announcement is the hope for that time in history.  The hope of a future with Jesus as the one who brings good.       

In Isaiah (the Old Testament for the third Sunday of Advent) the hope promised is:  comfort for all who mourn; to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

Don’t you wonder how this promise impacts the world today?  Is this truly what people are expecting?  Hoping for?

Just another wonder!

1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to This announcement 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. 4 They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. 5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines; 6 but you shall be called priests of the Lord, you shall be named ministers of our God; you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory. 7 Because their shame was double, and dishonor was proclaimed as their lot, therefore they shall possess a double portion; everlasting joy shall be theirs. 8 For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed. 10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.(Isaiah 61:1-11)