Thursday 28 June 2007

Today we will begin to look at the reality of hope as depicted again by Walter Brueggemann.

I reflect here...upon the ways in which Jews and Christians share a common inheritance of hope, albeit with elements of contestation, a common inheritance that makes its way in and against a dominant culture that is, by design and conviction, a venue for hopelessness and despair... He goes on to say that he will begin with a text from Hebrews 11:1:
Now faith is the assurance of things hope for, the conviction of things not seen.

This, as you know, is a Christian text; it is, however, a Christian text that is preoccupied with the history of ancient Israel and in fact makes only a passing christological claim... I submit that it is a present task of Jews and Christians together to focus on "things not seen" but promised, in a context that is mired in and mesmerized by present power arrangements. It goes without saying, of course, that such unseen things are not otherworldly, but pertain precisely to the gifts and the tasks presently in our midst.

Here we must remember that this hope is not, as he writes, about things that are otherworldly. In the world in which we live we have much that would leave us with a sense of hopelessness. And yet, it the face of such a reality, we are being reminded of another reality that is a part of our heritage. A reality that is not seen completely but it continues to beckon us to come and take part in its promises even as the world pushes and pulls us along its ways. We walk, as yet, by faith. We walk with a step that does not have the visible proof of the way in which we go but we share a story of those who did walk off into a hope-filled day even as the day presented itself as completely empty and bankrupt. Even if some do not take the stories of our scriptures as "actual events," the stories are ones that are told to ignite a life that will stretch beyond the many ways we can be imprisoned by the values and powers of the cultures in which we walk. I find that such storytelling is a reminder that there were people before me who could be overwhelmed by hopelessness and yet, they continued to be moved and pulled by the call of our God to come out into this kind of world and live a new life that will indeed prevail among us.

Connection: We might want to ask, 'What is this life?' Well, today is one day to begin stepping into its domain. I will be new for you as it was new for every faithful person before you. And yet...we are called into its life as it is promise for us.

Lord of the New Day, encourage us to face this day wrapped up in the vision of your hope-filled Reign as we go about the ordinary events of our lives. Amen.