In the past few weeks, I’ve heard numerous people say, “I hope this New Year is better than the last.” More often than not, there is a note of disbelief in their voice despite the hope they have in mind. It is as if a better New Year is a futile hope. People expect the challenges of this past year to continue without pause. Without even saying it, you and I know the challenges in mind are coping with the continued threat and heartache of Covid, recovering after hurricanes or floods, trying to understand the political scene and a paralyzed government. There is the craziness of random violence, the wounds of selfishness, greed, cynicism, loss, illness, and more. Our world is wounded, and the pain lingers.
Fortunately, our faith leads us to live in hope in the face of all this, confident that the Lord loves us and wishes only the unimaginable best for all of us. I am grateful for this hope born of our faith. I am also thankful for the various ways God expresses love in my life through the lives of others. One such moment happened on Christmas Eve. On that day, my 98-year-old mother met, for the first time, her 43rd grandchild, six-month-old Lucas Patrick Loughran. Not only is Lucas my mother’s 43rd grandchild, but he is also her 73rd descendent, with a few more on the way.
When my nephew handed this infant his son to my mother, Florence, you could be sure there were a lot of oohs and aahs. The photo of that moment is above. This photo evokes some strong emotions in me. First, of course, is the appreciation I have for the love my mother showered on her eight children as she raised us, and the affection and concern she continues to show for all 73 of her descendants. She is proud of all of us and constantly worries about us. With this photo, I’m also aware of the beauty of God in the gift of a new life, innocent and full of potential. This photo in itself evokes hope and happiness. I can’t help but see the image of the Madonna and child in this photo, either.
So, despite all the loss, cynicism, futility, and fear we experience in our lives and our world, God continues to reveal goodness, inspire love, create beauty, and bring us hope. And, if you want another example of hope in the darkness that touches our lives, my 98-year-old mother just ordered new countertops for her kitchen. Beat that!
Have a Happy and Hope-filled New Year!
Fr. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial
Toledo-Detroit Province
