Millions of people sat glued to their televisions heartbroken watching Notre Dame cathedral aflame. As a symbol of Western civilization, the structure served as a reminder of man’s journey to his creator, through art, relics, religious services and the history of its mere survival of the structure through the centuries.
Five days later over a billion dollars were pledged by donors from all over the world, all religions, all regions and all races to rebuild the Parisian icon to its former glory. There is always hope.
What a fitting example of the message of this week’s spiritual celebrations of Passover and Easter. No matter how many years we may suffer in captivity, there is always hope for release. No matter how we may “die”, there is always hope of resurrection. There is always hope.
The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “To every thing there is a season, a time to every purpose under heaven.” Just living day to day we witness these “seasons”… The Calm always follows the Storm. The Light always follows the Darkness. Spring always follows Winter. And Easer always follows Good Friday. There is always hope.
Let us take this message of hope and remember that it is not over yet. All is not in vain. God didn’t make us for pain and suffering, for sadness and dying, but for life – enjoying this life and the exciting, eternal life.
So as we celebrate these religious holidays, let us bring hearts of hope as we pray verses of Psalm 118, a hymn of Thanksgiving:
“…I was hard pressed and was falling, but the Lord helped me. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior….
..I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord has not delivered me to death….
…This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. O Lord, grant salvation! O Lord, grant prosperity!”
There is always hope!
