Day 5

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31 — “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles …”

Clip: Nathaniel meets Jesus / Under the fig tree

Reflection:

We all have our “fig trees”—places of private doubt, study, or cynical waiting. We think we are waiting on God, hidden and alone. But Isaiah’s promise is fulfilled in a way Nathaniel never expected. Our strength is renewed not because we finally find God, but because we realize God saw us all along. “Before Philip called you… I saw you.” This is the hope that shatters our cynicism: we are fully known.

Prayer:

Jesus, I am under my own fig tree, nursing my doubts. I think I am hidden. Shatter my cynicism with Your sight. Renew my strength with the staggering knowledge that You have always seen me, even in my most private moments. You are the God who sees first.

Practice:

Write a prayer or a short “yes” to one invitation God seems to be placing before you –  a relationship, service, trust.

From the Catechism (CCC):
“Hope opens up a future beyond all tragedies, beyond all evil.” (CCC 1821)

From YOUCAT:
“Hope is certain of what it does not see, and leads us to what lies beyond all visible things.” (YOUCAT 476)