HOPE is who we are as Dominicans! A desire to pray for each morning and to examine how we have lived it each evening is our tradition. When we observe our institutional church, country, and world, there are not too many signs for “optimism” (which is obviously distinct from hope).
When my eyes are open, I do see small acts of kindness in the apartment complex where I live (e.g. waiting for or in the elevator), and in events such as the vigil of “Lights for Liberty,” which gathered approximately 200 people in Lake Como, New Jersey. Similar events were taking place all over the country to announce to our dominant society that holding men, women, and children in dirty, crowded “camps” was immoral, unethical, and horrible to behold, often separating children from their families! Will this vigil change the situation? I don’t know. But we who are believers pray for God’s Reign to come.
The Scriptures and past historical events relate incidents of persons and groups standing up against the pain and suffering being inflicted on others. Often a good outcome is not seen by these persons and groups, and sometimes pain and suffering is inflicted on them. But, some transformation does occur eventually. My own understanding of HOPE has changed over the years from an expectation that I will see transformation to believing that God’s Reign will come!