The Healing Journey

January 11, 2026

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to . . . grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”
— St. Paul 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14

When someone we love dies, we need many things, and these things are often in short supply. There is disappointment, despair, fear and loneliness. But what we need are compassion, strength, encouragement and hope. We need people to show us sympathy in our suffering. Is there any greater gift in this life? We need people to provide strength when we don’t have it. Always remember that dealing with your grief is seldom a matter of “being strong.” Sometimes you have to admit your weakness to make it through. Most importantly, it’s a matter of finding hope when everywhere you look there seems to be little reason for being hopeful.

Hope is a theological virtue, along with faith and charity. To the secular world, “hope” is nothing more than wishful thinking, but to believers, it’s much more. The secular world sees hope as nothing but a positive attitude, such as “I hope you do well on the test” or “I hope everything works out for you” or “I hope we see each other again soon.” It’s almost synonymous with “luck” or “good fortune.”

But people of faith know there’s considerably more to hope. It’s a power in our lives, especially when our lives are falling apart. The virtue of hope keeps us focused spiritually on the eternal life beyond this one. From that perspective, hope is a necessary force that encourages us to keep putting one foot in front of the other, no matter what happens, because ultimately there is something wonderful waiting for all of us, regardless of our present situation. Hope, you see, is an antidote to despair, and it always works. So ask for it in great supply, and you’ll receive it. The world may try to take your hope from you, so cling to it like a lifeline.

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