In the next paragraph, the Holy Father returns to the word which he spent time unpacking in the previous paragraph. I noted that the popular English translations for hypostasis from Hebrews 11:1 are ‘realization’, ‘assurance’, or ‘guarantee.’ But Pope Benedict prefers the more technical and philosophical translation of ‘substance’. The pope connects his treatment of this passage with one from the previous chapter in the Letter to the Hebrews, which reads: “You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you had a better and lasting possession.” (Heb. 10:34) The Greek word for possession here has the same root as substance from Heb. 11:1, thus offering even more insights into its usage in this letter, especially as it relates to the topic of hope.
When considering the word ‘possession’, the Holy Father notes that this property “constitutes the means of support, indeed the basis, the ‘substance’ for life, what we depend upon.” (SS 8) As the pope points out, however, “[t]his ‘substance’, life’s normal source of security, has been taken away from Christians in the course of persecution.” (ibid) But being deprived of this earthly support, they stood firm because they realized that they had something far more valuable and long lasting than material support. Through their faith, “they had found a better ‘basis’ for their existence—a basis that abides, that no one can take away.” (ibid) Commenting on this new basis for life that faith offers us, the pope writes:
Faith gives life a new basis, a new foundation on which we can stand, one which relativizes the habitual foundation, the reliability of material income. A new freedom is created with regard to this habitual foundation of life, which only appears to be capable of providing support, although this is obviously not to deny its normal meaning. (ibid)
As a way of demonstrating the “proof” for this statement, the Holy Father points out the example of how this has been lived out in a compelling way throughout the life of the Church:
Above all, it is seen in the great acts of renunciation, from the monks of ancient times to Saint Francis of Assisi and those of our contemporaries who enter modern religious Institutes and movements and leave everything for love of Christ, so as to bring to men and women the faith and love of Christ, and to help those who are suffering in body and spirit. In their case, the new “substance” has proved to be a genuine “substance”; (ibid)
The pope explains how “from the hope of these people who have been touched by Christ, hope has arisen for others who were living in darkness and without hope.” (ibid) In other words, their example that one can be at peace and joyful despite a lack of worldly possession shows us that the same is possible for us as well.
Most of us are not called to this more radical form of earthly poverty, but all of us are called to the poverty of spirit as seen in the First Beatitude: “blessed are the poor in spirit.” (Mt. 5:3) Another word for ‘blessed’ in the Beatitudes is ‘happy’, or ‘fortunate’. This state of blessedness is something which we already possess through that poverty of spirit, and Jesus adds the promise of how that blessedness is directed toward the fulfillment of hope that that experience brings: “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (ibid)