Loss of Hope

But what we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope. George Eliot

Some tragic current day events make me think of two people from Scripture, Pete and Judas. These were two of the original followers of Christ. They played a role in the Passion of Our Lord. One betrayed him the other denied him three times. Peter, the one who denied Christ, would soon be a witness to Christ’s Resurrection and from then on he became the ‘rock’ that Jesus saw when He first chose him. Peter would eventually be martyred in Rome for his faith and love of Christ as he spread the Good News. Judas, who sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver, would soon realize what he’d done and return the money. Seeing himself condemned, Judas lost hope and hanged himself.

After reading the story from almost two thousand years ago about Peter and Judas, I turn to the news in an Italian newspaper and read how the economic crisis is having its impact in the form of an increase in suicides. I read about three people who have lost all hope and faith that God will get them through their difficulties. The victims are a Roman businessman, a truck driver from Milan and a thirty-nine year old man from Bolzano. Different stories with an identical conclusion.

The 59 yr old from Rome was the owner of a company specializing in the construction of windows. Trying to keep his company afloat he had to layoff some workers and finally declared bankruptcy. His 19 yr. old son found him sprawled on the floor with a hole in his chest and an old hunting rifle at his side. A letter apologizing for the act specifically refers to his precarious financial situation. This act of desperation is the latest in a long chain of suicides triggered by the crisis preceded a few days ago, April 3 from that of a craftsman from Centocelle who hanged himself in his shop “because – he left written – insurmountable economic problems.

In Milan, however, Joseph Polignino lost his job and was separated from his wife. To get by he was forced to return to live with his parents in public housing in the suburbs of Milan. According to initial police investigation the 51yr. old professional truck driver, took his own life by hanging himself with an electrical cord in the basement of the house where he lived with his parents. "He had lost his job for a while and every day was going to get one but did not find it," explained the senior investigator.

Faced with many debts the 39 yr. old from Bolzano was found burned in a car on the side of the road At first it was thought to have been a tragic accident but firefighters found two cans of gasoline in the car which was fueled by diesel gas.

These sad events remind us of what happens when we decide to act like God. It's those times when we don't believe that God loves us unconditionally.

"The greatest act of faith is when man decides he is not God."- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Oh ye of little faith

Oh ye of little hope
Oh ye of little love

“In the end there are three things that last: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love."

Christ is love.

Christ is risen.

Alleluia!