Day 7

Scripture: Romans 15:13 — “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing …”

Clip: Jesus heals Shula & Barnaby

Reflection:

Joy and peace are not just abstract emotional states; they are the lived experience of restoration. For Shula (the woman with the bleeding) and Barnaby (the paralytic), hope was almost dead. They were defined by their affliction. When Jesus healed them, He didn’t just fix a body; He gave them back their lives, their dignity, and their community. This is the God of Hope—not one who promises an abstract future, but one who breaks into the present with power.

Prayer:

God of Hope, I am tired. Parts of me feel paralyzed like Barnaby or unclean like Shula, defined by my wounds. I need more than a platitude; I need Your power. Fill me with the joy of restoration and the peace that comes not from ignoring my pain, but from feeling Your healing touch upon it.

Practice:

Share a hope you have with a friend or in community. Let your expectation encourage another’s heart.

From the Catechism (CCC):
“Hope keeps us from discouragement; it sustains us during times of abandonment; it opens up our hearts in expectation of eternal beatitude.” (CCC 1822)

From YOUCAT:
“Hope … strengthens us and opens us to life beyond this world.” (YOUCAT 475)