Disarming Despair

“How are you and the people around you doing after yesterday?”

Veteran Catechist, Herb Hoff shown helping Trinity Catechism kids with their Saturday exam the night before their Confirmation

“How are you and the people around you doing after yesterday?”

Dad and I were talking about some other timely matters on Wednesday, but he closed our conversation with this kind question. I think he and I share many if not most moral convictions, and we are even aligned in many of our core political orientations. That said, our convictions and orientations have not led us to support the same candidate for the highest office in our land. This has occasionally led to impassioned discussion but mostly to a quiet truce. We share more important things in common—love for family, faith in Jesus, care for and calling to the church.

So, how are we doing? I had to think about it for a minute.

The morning after Election Day in America is, of course, Wednesday This is also when the Trinity men gather around the word of God and prayer. They have been meeting like this for 60+ years. Every four years, I feel like I’m going into that meeting, like my friend says, “with clenched butt cheeks.” I realize I can’t manage everyone’s feelings, comments, and heart-felt prayers. But, that doesn’t stop me from trying! I came to Trinity when George “Dubya” Bush was the president, so I have been around for the following matchups: Obama-McCain (2008), Obama-Romney (2012), Trump-Clinton (2016), and the most tense, Biden-Trump (2020). But, on Wednesday we heard the reading about a generous widow (Mark 12.38-44), we sat in contemplative silence, discussed the word, and prayed for the sick and suffering, and we prayed for our country.

Some other folks came for 8:30 AM Prayer in the All Saints Chapel. Maybe a few needed to be with other people? Trinity’s current watchword happened to be the daily text for the day, “Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise” (Psalm 84.4). The word of God re-centers our hope, no matter the conditions.

On Wednesday evening the Theta Community gathers. I’m not sure how all those 18-30 year-olds voted in the election, but we had our own vote based on this question, “Out of all Theta Members, who would you endorse to the next president of the United States (without speaking ill of any current or future presidents)?” There was a pretty strong consensus that Alyssa Bobich would receive the most electoral votes based on polling from the integration groups. No kidding, she really should think about running. She has conviction, compassion, and is charitable towards others (with a few glimpses of a competitive spirit during games). #ALYSSA2028

“How are you and the people around you doing after yesterday?”

I can’t answer for everyone, but for me, I have no other option but hope. Why? Because I believe that Christ has died, and Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. 1 Peter 3.15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” If we are called to give reason for the hope that we have, we must be called to actually have hope. We have a duty to have hope. The thing about hope is it is raised from the dead (1 Peter 1.3) and that Living Hope actually has us—holds us—captivates us.

Real hope does not pacify, but activates, and we will need this!
Real hope does not lull, but speaks ups, and we will need this too.
Real hope does not disappoint, because hope’s object is not in rulers, races, conditions, or circumstances, but is in the love of God that has been poured into our hearts (Romans 5).
Real hope is cultivated by the witness of the saints.
Real hope is steeled by the presence of others.
Real hope is cultivated by the reality set forth in God’s Word.
Real hope is accessed in prayer.

Dad’s kind question yesterday provoked hope in me.

Thanks for asking.

PS: Here is a gallery of some great photos from Trinity’s confirmation service last week, that will also help cultivate hope :)