When I get up in the morning, I look out my window and experience the vastness of the ocean, at times the sunrise, at times the clouds hiding the sun, at times, rain or snow (not too much this past winter).!  Whatever the experience, it is a sign of HOPE.  God is here in the light, darkness, and gloom!

Others of us have a similar view.  Perhaps some have similar experiences in the midst of trees, mountains, open spaces, bustling cities!

As I live these days, I find myself drawn more and more to the sight before me!  The coronavirus which will probably be with us at least until next year compounded by the flu, our changing religious life, strong differences within the institutional Church, rampant racism, ideological differences, societal divisions in our nation, disregard for our earth and the corresponding climate change- all these we haven’t experienced simultaneously in our life time.  Our Mission of Hope becomes a more evident need now more than ever.

Obviously prayer for enlightenment (our charism – Search for Truth), compassion (mercy), personal and collective reflection, action where possible (e.g. petitions, outreach to appropriate officials, rallies) is asked of us to the extent we are able.  To be Human, Christian, Dominican is to be in relationship! How do I (we) respond??

And so, we are called to HOPE because we are NOT certain change will happen, but the Reign of God will.

Help us, dear God, to pray, do what we can, be open to what happens as we continue to HOPE!

At 3 pm on July 20, 1995 the Dominican Sisters of Hope were founded. On July 20, 2019, we began our 25th year since our founding. We declare a YEAR OF HOPE! In celebration, we will share a reflection on the 20th of every month. This is the fourteenth reflection in this series. Read all reflections here.

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This reflection was written by

Dominican Sister of Hope Pat Jelly, OP

Sister Pat Jelly is a teacher, principal, and administrator turned community organizer. After beginning her organizing ministry building houses and involving residents in that process in 1991, she has since served as an activist for the homeless, detainees, immigrants, and environmental justice, among others. Sister Pat currently organizes for children’s rights within the public school system as a member of the State Education Organizing Committee in Elizabeth, NJ.

In Sister Pat‘s view, community organizing “implemented” everything she had previously done in her life, and helped her work toward a brighter future. “I view hope not as optimism, but as the true belief that there can be a better society, a better world, that the reign of God can come” she says. “Whether we personally have had children or not, we need to be concerned about all of our children, about the next generations.”