Live Hope

From Darkness into Light

‘In a world without hope, be people full of hope’ General Chapter V 1987

Hope is at the root of the Community’s spirituality. As Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre we trace our origins back to Jerusalem and follow the inspiration of the women at the tomb who were entrusted with proclaiming the Easter message of hope.

On Easter morning the women were the first to visit the tomb. They were sent to announce that the Lord had risen – the place of death had become the place of life. That mission was shot through with hope which gives us, their successors, our mandate ‘to live Hope’.

We strive to give hope especially to people who are living in situations of oppression and degradation; journeying from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from death to life.

Living hope has always been at the core of the Community’s life. This comes from our firm belief that life will always conquer death; that light is more powerful than darkness.

‘Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated this world. Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is an irresistible force. Often it seems that God does not exist: all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty. But it is also true that in the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit. On razed land life breaks through, stubbornly yet invincibly. However dark things are, goodness always re-emerges and spreads. Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history. Values always tend to reappear under new guises, and human beings have arisen time after time from situations that seemed doomed. Such is the power of the resurrection, and all who evangelize are instruments of that power’ Pope Francis – Evangelii Gaudium

‘We wonder what God has in mind for us in this world of rapid change, wherever he leads us we hope to answer his call with the generosity of our forebears and continue to spread his message of love, joy, and hope expressed in his Life, Death and Resurrection’ From then to now

‘Hope on, hope ever, after darkest night Comes full of loving life, the laughing Morning’ Gerald Massey

‘Hope can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today’ Thích Nhất Hanh

‘You cannot bring home the frontier, but you have to live on the border and be audacious’ Pope Francis – Big Heart Open to God

for reflection…

1. What does hope mean to you?
2. Re-read the Account(s) of the women at the tomb. What are the key elements of the story for today?
3. What does it mean to promote life in every situation?
4. How do we keep alive the message of the empty tomb?
5. What does it mean to live Jesus’ risen life?
6. What do you understand by the Paschal M­­­­­ystery?
7. How do we weave threads of hope and solidarity?