As mentioned in the previous article, the final section of Pope Benedict’s Encyclical on Christian Hope, Spe salvi, is dedicated the various settings “in which we can learn in practice about hope and its exercise.” (SS 31) These next sixteen paragraphs will offer some practical suggestions for deepening our experience of this great virtue of hope.
The first setting in which to learn about hope is prayer. In this first paragraph, which is very short, the Holy Father begins with a beautiful reflection on the consoling presence of God in prayer as an anchor of hope:
When no one listens to me any more, God still listens to me. When I can no longer talk to anyone or call upon anyone, I can always talk to God. When there is no longer anyone to help me deal with a need or expectation that goes beyond the human capacity for hope, he can help me. When I have been plunged into complete solitude …; if I pray I am never totally alone. (SS 32)
In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness to be an epidemic. He warned that about half of the adults in the country were experiencing some form of loneliness, intensified no doubt by the recent pandemic. This problem affects both young and old alike. I am sure that anybody reading this can think of somebody they know in their lives who has struggled or is currently struggling with loneliness.
While the problem of loneliness is a complex one and there is no single solution, it is important for us as Christians to see prayer as an essential avenue in combatting loneliness. When we turn to prayer in faith, we do not just hope that God hears us, using hope in that more generic, everyday sense. Our hope, supported by faith, is rooted in the conviction that He is true, He is present, He is listening to us, and that He loves us.
The pope calls prayer a “school of hope”, and I like that image. It is a school that we are enrolled in throughout our entire lives. We should always be learning more about prayer. If our prayer looks like it did when we were in grade school, focusing only on reciting memorized prayers, then we are missing out on so much that prayer offers to us. Prayer is something very intimate and very personal. Some helpful descriptions on prayer that I often use in defining prayer are:
For mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us. (St. Teresa of Avila)
Prayer is “a very personal inner conversation between yourself and God” (St. Josemaria Escriva)
Prayer is a personal response to God’s loving presence. (Armand M. Nigro, S.J.)
When we see prayer in this way, as personal, intimate, and relational, we can open ourselves to the Lord about anything, including the loneliness that we feel. We can share with Him our hopes and desires, our sadness and frustrations. We can share anything and everything, and in doing so, we receive from Him the gift of His loving presence as a reminder of what we heard Him tell His Apostles before ascending to Heaven: “Behold, I am with you always.” (Mt 28:20)