Section — Koch–Preuss
Section 2: Qualities and Fruits of Hope
- THE QUALITIES OF HOPE.—The qualities of hope flow from the twofold nature of this virtue as a desire and as a firm trust or confidence in the mercy of God.
a) The desire must (α) correspond in a measure to the desirability of its object, which is God, and consequently must exceed the desire for every earthly good. (β) It must be effective, i. e., combined with the firm purpose of fulfilling the conditions necessary to attain eternal salvation. (γ) It must be well-ordered, i. e., aim at nothing but what is in accord with the will of God, and extend to temporal goods only in so far as they are necessary, or at least useful, for the attainment of Heaven.1
1 Cfr. Matt. V, 6; VI, 33; Col. III, 1; 1 Tim. IV, 10; Heb. VI, 11 sq.
b) The confidence or trust that is an essential constituent of hope, is founded on faith in Jesus Christ, and must consequently be (α) firm and steady,2 and (β) illumined by the truths of religion, especially the wisdom, goodness, and justice of God, and therefore expecting no temporal blessing except in connection with, and in relation to, the “one necessary thing,” i. e., eternal salvation.3 Finally, (γ) the hope that is founded in Christ will be “an anchor of the soul, sure and firm”4 only if confident trust in God is united with humility and diffidence in one’s own powers.5 “He who hopes and does not fear,” says Pseudo-Augustine, “is careless, but he who fears and does not hope is weighed down and descends into the depths like a stone.”6
2 Ps. XXIV, 2; 1 Cor. XV, 58; Eph. III, 12; Heb. VI, 19 sq.; 1 Pet. I, 13.
3 Matt. VI, 33; Col. III, 1; 1 Tim. VI, 17.
4 Heb. VI, 19.
5 Ps. CXLVII, 11; 1 Cor. X, 12; Phil. II, 12.
6 Pseudo-Augustine, Append. Serm. X ad Fratres in Eremo: “Therefore, my brethren, love this [hope], hold it, yet not without fear; because he who hopes and does not fear is careless, but he who fears and does not hope is weighed down and descends into the depths like a stone.” (P. L., XL, 1253).
- THE FRUITS OF HOPE.—The fruits of hope as a theological virtue are the following:
a) In regard to the desire which it contains, (α) the conception of Heaven as our true home, and of life on earth as an exile which we must always be ready to leave;7 (β) moderation in the use of earthly goods, which, compared with the one thing necessary, i. e., the kingdom of God and its justice, must appear to the Christian merely as something superadded;8 and (γ) the salutary fear of losing Heaven, which gains strength in proportion to the ardor with which we desire to be united to God.
7 2 Cor. V, 6–8; Phil. I, 23; III, 20; Col. III, 1 sq.; Heb. XIII, 14; cfr. John XIV, 2.—St. Augustine, Enarr. in Ps., CXLVIII, n. 4: “As pilgrims we sigh, still held captive under the weight and burden of the mortal body; hence we still groan in pilgrimage, but we shall exult in our fatherland. He who does not groan as a pilgrim will not rejoice as a citizen, because there is no desire in him.” (Migne, P. L., XXXVII, 1940).
8 Matt. VI, 36; Phil. IV, 11 sqq.; 1 Tim. VI, 6–8.
b) In regard to the confidence which it inspires, hope produces (α) true contentment and that heavenly joy which comforts man in all temptations, tribulations, and difficulties;9 (β) patience, which, though it does not exclude complaints and other manifestations of natural pain,10 consists in a readiness to bear the adversities of life with resignation to the will of God, nay to delight in suffering and thank God for it in the firm conviction that “to them that love God all things work together unto good.”11 This persevering patience, when it has developed into absolute resignation to, or conformity with, the will of God, is a sure sign of election. “He that shall persevere to the end shall be saved.”12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him.”13
9 Deut. X, 19; Rom. XV, 13; 1 Cor. I, 3 sqq.; Phil. II, 1; 1 Thess. IV, 12; Heb. VI, 18.—St. Augustine, Serm., 158, n. 8: “Hope will no longer exist when the reality exists. For hope itself will be necessary in pilgrimage. For when the traveler labors in walking, he therefore endures the labor because he hopes to arrive. Take away from him the hope of arriving, and at once his strength for walking is broken. Therefore the hope which exists here also pertains to the justice of our pilgrimage.” (Migne, P. L., XXXVIII, 866).—St. Bernard, Serm. in Cant., 61, n. 3: “I have sinned a great sin; my conscience will be troubled, but it will not be disturbed, because I shall remember the wounds of the Lord.” (P. L., CLXXXIII, 1072).
10 “There is a certain pleasure in weeping.”—Cfr. Matt. XXVI, 38 sq.; XXVII, 46; John XI, 35.—Ovid, Trist., IV, 3, 37.
11 Rom. VIII, 28; cfr. Matt. V, 11 sq.; XXVI, 39; Acts V, 41; Rom. V, 3 sqq.
12 Matt. X, 22.
13 Jas. I, 12.
Three things, in the terse phrase of a famous Italian writer, lead us blind mortals to misjudge the ways of God: corta vita, corta vista, corta pazienza—i. e., the shortness of life, our limited vision, and impatience.14
14 Antonio Rosmini.—Cfr. Gregory the Great, Hom. in Evang., l. I, 3, n. 4: “And if we do this [conquer ourselves], we shall not only escape the punishments that threaten us, but shall be rewarded together with the martyrs. For although an occasion of persecution is lacking, our peace also has its martyrdom; and although we do not place the neck of the flesh beneath the sword, nevertheless with the spiritual sword we slay carnal desires in the mind.” (Migne, P. L., LXXVI, 1089).—IDEM, ibid., l. II, 35, n. 7: “But because we celebrate the birthday of a martyr today, my brethren, we must by no means consider ourselves strangers to the virtue of his patience. For if, with the Lord assisting us, we strive perfectly to preserve the virtue of patience, we both live in the peace of the Church and nevertheless hold the palm of martyrdom. There are indeed two kinds of martyrdom, one in the mind, the other in the mind and in action together. And so we can be martyrs even if we are slain by no sword of persecutors. For to die at the hand of a persecutor is martyrdom in outward deed; but to endure insults and to love one who hates us is martyrdom in hidden thought.” (Migne, P. L., LXXVI, 1263).