sense of expectation: 34th week thursday 2012 II

What would life be without a sense of expectation?  Imagine how life would be without a sense of expectation.  It would be a life with no unplanned stops, like a drama plot with no twists, no turns, no surprises.  It would be a life without longing.  It would be a life without visions and dreams. 

Without a sense of expectation people will begin to say, nothing good will come out of this.  Yes, the saint may no longer have the chance to become a sinner, but the sinner may never have the chance to become a saint.  It will be a world without mercy – no second chances, no hope for conversion, no chance to make up and do good.  It would be a world without room for mistakes. 

Today the Lord is telling us that though the world is in chaos, and evil is committed at every turn, though man turn against each other, and wars seem about to destroy every kingdom, stand erect and raise your heads, your redemption is near at hand.

What would formation be without a sense of expectation, what is the use of going to mass, what is the use of study, how can prayer become effective and fruitful without a sense of expectation – the sense of expectation that something good will come out of these.

Today we pray that we may not stop looking forward to that day and time when the good we are expecting, when the dreams we have been working on, when our labors in formation would be rewarded and come to fruition.