By Michael Haldas
Thoughts on Hope and Optimism, June 15, 2016
“Hope has a distinctly Christian flavor to it. Unlike optimism, which is secular in nature, Christian hope isn’t centered on what human beings can do, but on what God has done. Hope is an extension of faith; if faith is a tree, then hope is the branches of the tree. The concept of hope has everything to do with the Kingdom, which is a present reality. This Christian hope is a hope that involves a better future intruding on and decisively shaping the present.” (Tom Papagiannis)
“Hope is more than wishful thinking, more than optimism. It is settled confidence concerning things to come.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Romans 8:24)
“Sentiment is shifting sand. You can have warm feelings toward God without faith, you can have feelings of optimism without hope, and you can have feelings of sympathy without love. Our God is not sand; He’s a Rock.” (Ravi Zacharias and Norman Geisler)
“Here is the secret of true optimism—no matter what happens, God reigns, and He is at work to bring out good from bad. For the Christian, the best is yet to come.” (Dale Galloway)
“The way we relate to others has an effect on their lives—and ours. If we make an effort to be positive and live our lives with hope and faith, those around us profit and become healthier in spirit and in heart. Giving ourselves over to anxiety and fear does nothing but bring us down, and it pulls those around us down as well.” (Abbott Tryphon)
Thoughts of Being “of Good Cheer”, June 16, 2016
“Because Christ understood our condition better than we do ourselves, He made a point by clearly stating, “in this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). To use a popular expression, He basically said, “stuff happens.” In other words, we’re going to face and deal with a lot of bad stuff in this world due to its sinful condition. Some we will bring on ourselves, some we won’t.” (Sacramental Living)
“As we look around us, it is not difficult to see tribulation in every direction…And yet, in the midst of this tumult, Christ proclaims: “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world…In the midst of these dire circumstances, by responding to Christ’s call, we have made the “good cheer” of Christ manifest to those who might otherwise despair and lose all hope…Trusting your kindness and eagerness to help, we urge you to share this good cheer of Christ’s victory through the love and respect that you show your neighbor.” (SCOBA)
“Genuine, hearty laughter is one of the greatest gifts imparted to us by our Father. It has the amazing power to diminish our pain, lift our souls in joyous good cheer, while providing bright hope for the unknown days ahead.” (W. Phillip Keller)
“Cheerfulness consists in not regarding things as our own, but as entrusted to us by God for the benefit of our fellow servants. It consists in scattering them abroad generously with joy and magnanimity, not reluctantly or under compulsion.” (St. Symeon the New Theologian)
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold it would be a merrier world.” (J.R.R. Tolkien)
~Michael Haldas, https://www.ancientfaith.com/contributors/michael_haldas.
Michael Haldas is an author, a religious educator and a speaker. He wrote Sacramental Living: Understanding Christianity as a Way of Life (published by Eastern Christian Publications), a book which he presented special editions of as gifts to Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in private audiences. Michael is also published monthly in Theosis Magazine and he has authored several Orthodox Christian themed articles for various publications. Additionally, he has recorded and contributed to multiple YouTube, DVD and CD educational projects. He teaches adult religious education and high school Sunday school at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Bethesda, Maryland and has worked with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Religious Education Department to create educational lessons and materials.
