To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 9, Day 5 - Jesus Came to Give Us the Comfort with Which We Comfort Others
To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 5, Day 5 - Warrior Poets Stand Firm in Hope
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And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Colossians 1:21–23
The Catholic Faith is not a “one and done” proposition. It is an ongoing experience of realizing that we have been reconciled by the cross, snatched from the pit, and made new creatures in Christ. We are the Bride of Christ, being made ready for the wedding feast to come, and this is our hope. As we persevere in this hope, we are caught up in the steady stream of love that carries us toward heaven.
Stand firm, then, in hope. How do we do this? Listen to what Paul says to the Philippians:
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. (Phil 1:27–28)
We fix our eyes on our final goal, knowing that God’s grace is our strength along the way. We see our journey through the lens of hope, knowing that we stand together with our fellow members of the Mystical Body to support one another when we struggle and when hope grows dim. We look to the cross and know that our hope has a sure and sturdy foundation in Christ.
Questions for Reflection
Are there circumstances in your life right now that are making it difficult to stand firm in hope? What are they? How can you turn them over to the Lord and ask for his hope? How can your brothers pray for you?
As you make your daily walk with Jesus, do you look forward to the joyful completion of the journey? What reminders of hope can you give yourself throughout the day?
How does your hope for heaven shape your actions?
Praying with Scripture
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Heb 10:23)
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About the Author
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
