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Taking a look at Mother Nature, she has never seemed so distressed: Devastating fires, flash floods, mudslides, famines, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and all that extreme weather. We’ve seen it all, and more often. Last year my country of Canada saw the largest amount of territory destroyed by fires in recorded history. Something is off-kilter.
And then look at human nature, man, we’ve never looked so flawed: Rampant racism, the power of greed and selfishness, poverty, divisiveness, violence, devastating wars, perilous migration with tens of thousands leaving and dying, tragic deaths every year. Something is unhinged.
In a world on the brink of hopelessness, can we still hope? Can we muster the courage to hope on a Monday? Can we turn back the terrible despair on a Tuesday? Can we wow our world with winsome hope on a Wednesday? Can we thrive with hope on Thursday? Can we free people up to hope again on Friday? Can we sing and soar with hope on Saturday and Sunday? I believe we can! Really, what other choice is there? Our world needs a potent hope now more than ever. And of course that is where we come in.
When I think of all our Serve the Cities around the world, I feel hopeful because of you. When I hear about your love in action it buoys my hope. As we put up new calendars for the year, may we not for one minute give into despair but may you and I embrace our vocation as agents of hope together as a STC movement and community in 2024. Through hope may we invest our energy and talents in the healing of our world. Let us love practically, and not abstractly. Yes, our value of hope is a good strategy, for it opens our hearts to generously meet needs and help other people everyday.
Peter |
