December 15, Advent 3A (Matthew 11:2–11; Psalm 146:5–10; James 5:7–10)
In his response to John, Jesus speaks of hope in the present tense.
Hope and despair dance cheek to cheek around me often. I work with people who have been harmed by trauma from various sources, and recent months have been intense.
When I begin to feel despair close by, I know the recommended practice is to find reasons for joy and gratitude, however small and temporary. I’ve led workshops on caring for oneself while caring for others. I read and reread books on preventing burnout and recognizing the effects of exposure to trauma.
Lately, if I’m honest, it’s not enough. God will bring the fullness of justice someday, yes. God is with us today, yes. But I confess that my hope begins to flag when gun violence continues despite grassroots prevention efforts, when members of my church are deported despite our protests, when the proposal to build a new ICE detention center is defeated in one town only to be accepted in another.
