A first essential setting for learning hope is prayer. When no one listens to me any more, God still listens to me. When I can no longer talk to anyone or call upon anyone, I can always talk to God. When there is no longer anyone to help me deal with a need or expectation that goes beyond the human capacity for hope, he can help me. When I have been plunged into complete solitude, if I pray I am never totally alone.
The late Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan, a prisoner for thirteen years, nine of them spent in solitary confinement, has left us a precious little book: Prayers of Hope. During thirteen years in jail, in a situation of seemingly utter hopelessness, the fact that he could listen and speak to God became for him an increasing power of hope, which enabled him, after his release, to become for people all over the world a witness to hope—to that great hope which does not wane even in the nights of solitude.
Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi
Comments (4)
I am so happy you are back! Just in time for St. Nicolaus. Isn't the Holy Father's encyclical remarkable though?
Posted by Terry | December 1, 2007 4:21 PM
Posted on December 1, 2007 16:21
I am so happy you are back!
father mark do you read spanish?....
Posted by mary | December 2, 2007 5:43 AM
Posted on December 2, 2007 05:43
Yes, Mary, I read Spanish.
Posted by Don Marco, O.Cist. | December 2, 2007 8:15 PM
Posted on December 2, 2007 20:15
padre mark:
que alegria tan grande saber que si me va a entender...hace algun tiempo me encontre con su valiosa ayuda espiritual atravez de
(vultus christi)
yo, deceo compartir una experiencia personal con usted.. pero es confidencial
y espiritual.
deceo su bendicion para lograr compartirlo con usted
seria una gran alegria tara mi tener su permiso.
digame como puedo lograr tener esta bendicion para mi alma.
mary
Posted by mary | December 3, 2007 3:44 AM
Posted on December 3, 2007 03:44