Hope. Always. E-Book

Kris Frank

• Herausgeber: anna ruggieri
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

In Hope Always, Kris Frank, a popular Catholic speaker and youth minister, offers his down-to-earth and personal reflections on hope and how this crucial but often-misunderstood virtue can change our perspective on life’s difficulties. Sharing stories from his own life, along with Scripture passages and theological commentary solidly grounded in Church teaching, Frank teaches by example, demonstrating how the practice of hope can help any person, in any state of life, and in any situation.

Leseprobe

Praise for Hope Always

“Leaning on the insights of the saints, teachings of the Church, wisdom from the Bible, and stories from years of ministry, Hope Always provides our youth and young adults with a resource that has the potential to inspire them not to give up on God in their walk toward eternity.”

Fr. Joshua Johnson, priest of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, author, podcast host of Ask Fr. Josh

“Kris does a masterful job of not only explaining what hope is, but also helping us to understand how to cling to, long for, and live in it. With all that we face in the world today, and with despair lingering in many hearts, this book is essential reading for anyone who longs to see the light and grow in the virtue of hope.”

Katie Prejean McGrady, international speaker and author

“We need hope now more than ever. It’s easy to be discouraged and anxious. Whether because of a repeat sin or wrestling with doubt, sometimes we feel like giving up. Kris Frank has written a book filled with hope! You are not alone. There are amazing saints who have struggled just like you! This book is a great encouragement to any who could use a reminder that all is not lost. I love these words and know that many will be blessed by this book!”

Chris Padgett, speaker, musician, author, YouTuber at Happy Place Homestead, www.chrispadgett.com

“The virtue of hope can be overwhelming and hard to understand. That’s true for everyone, but especially for our modern-day youth and young adults who have been fed lies of relativism and hopelessness from every angle. Kris has experience working with a population that doesn’t always have hope so obviously present to them. He also has a passion to help people—as evidenced by his national speaking reputation and youth ministry. His experience and his faith have inspired him to write this delightful book, filled with Scripture, spirituality, theology, and real-life application, which make the theological virtue of hope more accessible, understandable, and practical. Hope Always is a wonderful read and an invitation you can’t refuse!”

Fr. Leo E. Patalinghug, IVDei, TV and radio host, author, speaker, founder of www.PlatingGrace.com and www.TheTableFoundation.org

“No matter where we come from, no one gets through life unscathed. Kris Frank has given us a personal and compelling book that engages life head-on with wisdom to face all its trials, doubts, and disappointments. As Kris says, “Christian hope never disappoints”—through testimony, stories, and Scripture, this book unpacks why and how Jesus Christ is our true anchor and hope. A must-read and an inspiring book that will accompany countless people as they navigate this life!”

Sarah Swafford, speaker and author of Emotional Virtue: A Guide to Drama-Free Relationships

“This little book is a big deal. Kris Frank pulls from 2,000 years of Catholic tradition as well as from his personal experiences as a youth minister, evangelizer, husband, and father in order to introduce (or reintroduce) his readers to the theological virtue of hope. His reflections on doubt and anxiety are particularly excellent and most timely. It’s the right book for today’s world.”

Fr. Damian Ference, priest of the Diocese of Cleveland, author of The Strangeness of Truth

“‘Life’s great sufferings put other sufferings in perspective,’ so writes Kris Frank in this wonderful book. Guided by the saints and Sacred Scripture and dramatically enhanced by powerful personal stories, Frank guides us on our own rediscovery of hope. Offering counsel amid discouragement, suffering, and despair, this book is sure to become a life raft for many to weather the storms of life with peace and joy!”

Andrew Swafford, STD, associate professor of Theology, Benedictine College; author and host of Romans: The Gospel of Salvation

HOPE ALWAYS

OUR ANCHOR IN LIFE’S STORMS

By Kris Frank

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020930116

CIP data is available.

ISBN 10: 0-8198-3463-7

ISBN 13: 978-0-8198-3463-8

ISBN (ePub): 987-0-8198-3464-5

Many manufacturers and sellers distinguish their products through the use of trademarks. Any trademarked designations that appear in this book are used in good faith but are not authorized by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologizes for any errors or omissions in the list below and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, Revised Edition, © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America, copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. — Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Excerpts from papal and magisterium texts copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Cover design by Ryan McQuade

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

“P” and PAULINE are registered trademarks of the Daughters of St. Paul.

Copyright © 2020, Kris Frank

Published by Pauline Books & Media, 50 Saint Pauls Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-3491. www.pauline.org.

Pauline Books & Media is the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul, an international congregation of women religious serving the Church with the communications media.

For my wife, Grace. You truly are amazing.

Contents

Foreword

CHAPTER ONE Hope

CHAPTER TWO Hope for the Sinner

CHAPTER THREE Hope for the Discouraged

CHAPTER FOUR Hope for the Doubters

CHAPTER FIVE Hope for the Anxious

CHAPTER SIX Hope for the Weary

CHAPTER SEVEN Hope for the Addict

CHAPTER EIGHT Hope for the Suffering

CHAPTER NINE Hope for the Grieving

CHAPTER TEN Hope for Others

CHAPTER ELEVEN Hope for Our Families

CHAPTER TWELVE Hope for the Church

CONCLUSION Hope for the Future

Afterword

Acknowledgments

Notes

Foreword

THE HUMAN PERSON can survive only about three weeks without food. (Though working on a college campus makes me wonder if some of my students could survive more than three hours.)

Water is even more important for human survival. We can only live for a few days without water.

And then there’s oxygen. Without oxygen we can only survive for a few minutes.

But, believe it or not, there’s something even more essential to human life than food, water, or oxygen—hope. We can’t live a moment without hope. Not one moment.

The human heart demands and longs for hope. We need hope to be fully alive and to live a life full of purpose, promise, peace, and joy. Sadly, however, many people live without this balm for the soul, which is so unfortunate because it doesn’t have to be that way.

It doesn’t help that many people confuse the virtue of hope with a desire or want. We often hear people say things like, “I hope the weather is nice on our vacation.” Or, “I hope I get that job.” While we use the word “hope” in these instances, we don’t really hope for or in these things. We might want the weather to be nice on our vacation and we might even pray for that intention but is our hope really in a vacation? Or we might desire that job, but should we really hope in it?

Saint Paul tells us that “hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5). But how does that work? So often peoples’ hopes are disappointed. However, when we experience disappointment, it’s because we didn’t have a clear understanding of hope. We didn’t know where, or in whom, to place our hope. We need only look at today’s world to see the consequences of many lives lived without real, authentic hope. Anxiety, frustration, addiction, confusion, angst—all this and more can come from a lack of real hope.

For this reason, Kris Frank’s book on the topic of hope is so timely and important. In it, he does an excellent job illuminating our profound need for hope. He points out that true hope is found in Jesus Christ and in him alone. Hope anchored in God’s love gives purpose and meaning to our lives. We all long for this kind of hope, the hope that brings light and reminds us that God is who he says he is; the hope that confirms that our present struggle is not the end. This is the only kind of true hope that will not disappoint. Today’s world so profoundly needs to know the source of our hope. So, I encourage you to begin reading this book right away. There’s not a minute to lose.

FATHER DAVE PIVONKA, TOR

President, Franciscan University

CHAPTER ONE

Hope

“Hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul.”

—HEBREWS 6:18–19

ON JULY 4, 1952, Florence Chadwick set out to do something many deemed impossible. The 34-year-old planned to be the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel—a 21-mile stretch of water between Catalina Island and the California coast. That day the weather was abysmal. The water was bitterly cold, and a dense fog inhibited visibility. Nevertheless, Florence swam for hours. Support boats carrying her mother and trainer followed closely behind. Rifles were fired repeatedly to scare away sharks that stalked below. From warm and cozy homes around the country, many people watched with interest as the event played out on television. After swimming nearly sixteen hours, however, Florence was completely depleted and discouraged. She gave up and asked to be taken out of the water. Back in the boat, Florence realized she had been only 1/2 mile away from the shore. Afterward, Florence confessed to a reporter, “Look, I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen land, I know I could have made it.”1

Most of us haven’t swum the Catalina Channel (or any channel for that matter), but we all can relate to Florence’s excuse for not getting to the finish line. Sometimes we go through life wondering, “How much longer can I strive for something I cannot see?” If only we could see the shoreline, it would be so much easier. Just staying afloat can seem impossible in the face of each day’s never-ending, difficult moments. We fail and fall short; sometimes life becomes too difficult, and we want to call it quits. I often feel this way, and my guess is that I’m not alone. Actually, I know I’m not alone.

Over the years I’ve encountered countless people—young and old alike—who find it difficult to make it through life. Like Florence Chadwick, they feel like the shorelines of a happy, joyful life are perpetually just out of reach. We may not desire to swim long distances surrounded by sharks to earn some record, but God created each one of us for greatness. And like Florence, however, when life becomes arduous, we can easily become discouraged. Thankfully, even when we’re surrounded by the dense fog of the unknown, there’s a proven way to navigate the chilly, choppy waters of life. God provides us with something that anchors us when everything else threatens to blow us off course. In case it’s not obvious, I’m talking about the virtue of hope.

In the supernatural sense, hope is not the positive emotion that might have helped Florence push through the last half mile to shore. Hope is not a feel-good optimism that helps people get through tough times. Rather, hope is a theological virtue, a gift from God given to us in Baptism. When properly understood and lived, the virtue of hope can save our lives. It can anchor us both when life is calm and effortless and also when it feels difficult and impossible. Living in Christian hope is not always easy, especially when the disruptions and distresses of life pile up, but it’s possible. And it’s worth it. In fact, it’s exactly what helps us to not only survive but to thrive. Before we begin to explore how to live hope amid life’s ups and downs, let’s explore a bit more exactly what hope is and what it isn’t.

Hope Defined

In everyday conversation, we often equate hope with a wish for the future. We say things like, “My birthday is coming up. I hope I get the new Apple watch” or “I hope the line at Chick-fil-A isn’t too long.” Growing up in Northwest Ohio, for example, I hoped that Cleveland’s Browns would play well enough to eke out a few wins. (You may take this as a knock on Cleveland sports. Don’t. Those are my teams. I’ll root for them through thick and thin. Rain or shine. Win or lose. . . . But to be honest, they mostly lose.) Now, let’s be clear, it isn’t necessarily wrong to hope in these ways. We all hope for a perfect birthday gift or that our favorite team pulls off a big upset—but when we hope for these things, we aren’t exercising the virtue of hope.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) tells us, “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (1817). I don’t use the word “beautiful” to describe many definitions, but it seems appropriate here. Hope grants us the assurance that our deepest longings can and will be satiated by the God who put those desires within our hearts. The virtue gives us the supernatural strength to rely on Christ’s grace when our own strength fails. Hope is what prompted Saint Catherine of Siena to proclaim, “All the way to heaven, is heaven.”2 Hope points our faith to eternal life and brings heaven, in some sense, into the present moment.

Hope is given to us in Baptism, but we are not mere passive recipients of this gift. Aided by grace, hope is a movement of the will. Of course, hope can provoke an emotional response, but fundamentally we have to choose to conform with the grace that has been given to us by God. Life is too difficult to passively stumble into hope. It’s a virtue we must fight for with God’s grace. When we live the virtue of hope, it leads us to happiness. Hope is the foundation of the joy that Christians are called to live in all circumstances. It’s a life-changing gift that leads us to encounter God. When we live the virtue of hope in our lives, it completely changes the way we approach the world around us.

It’s also important to realize that hope isn’t a quick fix that immediately fulfills our longings and saves us from life’s hardships. Instead, amid our aches and sufferings, hope keeps our gaze on Christ, confident in his promises. Too often we turn our focus away from the source of our hope—Jesus—and shift our gaze to earthly things. This shift may go unnoticed for a time. But when life takes a turn for the worse, a lack of hope can cripple us, which is why it’s so important to actively ask God for the grace to grow in hope every day.