If we ask you: Who are the most hopeful people? Or: Who can give us the most hope? I believe that if we say the answer is “children”, no one would object! But why do children give us such a strong sense of hope?

Think back to when you were a child. In your mind, there were no burdens or worries. The only thing you would think about was whether there was something or someone that made you happy. How wonderful it felt to be free from worries!

Children also have many fantasies, many things they want to do. They are full of creativity, dreams, and boundless curiosity! These endless imaginations and curiosity free them from the psychological burdens that adults carry. They don’t worry about whether they have the ability to achieve their dreams or whether they are competent enough. They dream of growing up to do things that seem impossible in the eyes of adults. Yet, practical adults tend to dampen their enthusiasm:

 “You want to be an astronaut? You want to invent something? Just focus on studying first!”

Only children radiate this pure hope for the future! And ironically, this is exactly what we adults lack and desperately need.

Of course, many of children’s dreams are unrealistic, but this has also given rise to many heroes with super powers in children’s stories, such as Superman, Batman, Spiderman, etc. These heroes are not just appealing to children but also have a special attraction for adults!

One reason is that we, as adults, are unable to fulfill our childhood dream to become the perfect person we once aspired to be. So, we project our emotions onto fictional heroes in fairy tales or fantasy worlds.

During the past few days of our retreat, we came to realize that, at the core of our lives, what truly matters is not material possessions but the most important relationships in our lives. Therefore, in our earthly journey, we should not place our ultimate hope in external things, but rather in a relationship. However, since no relationship in this world is perfect,

we should place our ultimate hope in God, who created us and loves us to the end. This is our ultimate relationship, our ultimate goal, and our long-term hope.

But this also means we must embrace a heart of waiting, trusting that this is the final and most fulfilling outcome!

Therefore, we also need a tangible goal in this present life to guide us effectively toward that ultimate goal. We call this a “short-term hope” in this world.

Instead of putting our hopes in superheroes from the fictional world, we should learn from the lives of saints and their childlike innocence. These saints kept their innocence despite the passing years; they never lost their dreams.

They knew that God wanted them to become true heroes who could change the world—not through virtual superpowers, but by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in them. Through this, they gained true “superpowers” to accomplish the entrusted missions that seemed impossible from a human perspective.

This experience of “man in complete union with God” enables us to fulfill the responsibilities and mission that God has entrusted to us in this world. It carries us from our short-term hopes in this life toward ultimate hope of eternity. This is not something that fictional superheroes in movies can help us achieve!

Reflection

Do you still have a child’s sense of wonder and hope for life? What can help you regain that childlike innocence?

What are your hopes in life? What is your ultimate hope?

Just as God accomplished great things through imperfect saints, do you believe that God can also accomplish great things through you? Do you believe that there is nothing God cannot do in your life?

Today’s Prayer

Heavenly Father, there are countless worries in life that have slowly blinded me, making me numb to everything around me. What pains me even more is that I have lost my sensitivity even toward those closest to me, including my family. I feel sorrowful and distressed about my hardened heart, and I believe this must grieve You even more.

I don’t know what led me to my current situation, but I really don’t want to delve into it. I just want to break free from this condition of hopelessness and exhaustion as soon as possible.

Abba Father, I invite You to come into my heart, heal me, and lift me out of this helpless state. Please grant me a soft and compassionate heart like Yours, to heal my hardened heart. Let me regain a childlike heart so that I may welcome You to dwell in me with a pure heart. I long for You to accomplish in me what I cannot achieve on my own, so that Your glory may be manifested in my life.

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Writer: Paul Yeung
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