Signs of Hope

Advent's messages of hope can be blurred by story after story of suffering due to the economy and the loss of jobs and incomes for countless families, or by the incidence of cancer or other diseases that have radically changed the lives of people. Some of the tales are so overwhelming and impossible to solve that it seems only a miracle can do it. Yes, where is the hope for a glorious future proclaimed by Isaiah?
As always, the answer, the miracles, are right before us. There is a junior scholar-athlete who is successfully teaching religion to first and second graders, not only giving them content, but example through kindness and understanding which flow from his own integration of of his faith and experience of the love of God in his life through his family. He is willingly teaching and loving it.
Or there is the Central Catholic Christmas Project, whose final collection today will help us meet the goal of providing a Christmas for 51 needy families. This project is over and above our regular Friday "mission" collections, and our Thanksgiving Food Drive.
Further, there is the dedication of the Parents Guild, who cover the Campus store daily through lunch and after school. Recently, they renovated the "PUB", giving it a Raider Glow, from walls to floor. I have never seen that floor shine as much as it does now. And even more recently, the Christmas tree sale, which took hours of cutting, hauling, and standing in the cold waiting for customers.
These are all signs of hope springing from the goodness in hearts, and giving others the courage to face their difficulites with optimism.
Bro. Rene