Hope Beyond

Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) was a Spanish Carmelite nun and mystic whose reforms revitalised the contemplative life within the Church. In a time of turmoil and crisis, she responded wholeheartedly to God’s call with a fervent desire to draw others closer to the heart of the Gospel. In 1560, she conceived the idea of reforming the Carmelite Order, restoring its former austerity and discipline. Teresa insisted that her sisters should live as “hermits within community,” combining deep prayer, daily labour, and an inner experience of solitude. She sought to make her Order a place of discernment, where silence would serve as the means of communion with God. She was convinced that true reform could bear fruit only through an inner transformation of the human heart, a change that would make it possible to hear, in prayer, the silent yet living voice of the Holy Spirit. In her classic work The Interior Castle, Saint Teresa envisions the soul’s journey as passing through seven “mansions” or stages of spiritual maturity, a metaphor describing the soul’s path towards union with God, as it progresses through prayer, purification, and spiritual growth. She teaches that Christ the Beloved “dwells at the centre of the castle of the soul, and the doorway through which we find Him is contemplative prayer.” Teresa goes on to remind us that “we can hear the voice of God in silence,” and that even the smallest, most ordinary moments of daily life can become occasions of encounter with Christ. Teresa was convinced that silence and solitude are essential for discernment. She encourages each person to live “alone with God alone” through deep prayer, trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide us along the path of our vocation. Her words, “let nothing disturb you... God alone suffices”, remain a clear message for all who seek direction in life. In times of doubt or resignation, this saint invites us to practise patience. Saint George Preca likewise reminds us that “patience with perseverance is the narrow way that leads to eternal life, and few there are who find it”. After all this, it is worth reflecting: are we finding time in our lives to reach the centre of our soul’s castle through contemplative prayer? Jamie Sammut SDC Candidate

The indulgence of the senses is one of the qualities that distinguishes the disciples of the world from the disciples of Christ. The disciples of the world seek to gratify their senses, whereas the disciples of Christ strive to restrain them. It is because of this danger of sensual indulgence that Saint George Preca emphasises the importance of moderation, the tool we must use to overcome the temptation of pleasing the senses. Moderation is essential because it teaches us to recognise what we truly need and helps us stop once we have enough. It enables us to exercise self-control, which is vital both for our spiritual life and for our physical wellbeing. For instance, when we eat with moderation, we provide our bodies with what they require; but when we eat without restraint, it becomes gluttony. Saint George Preca uses the example of gluttony to illustrate the importance of moderation. He places great emphasis on temperance in food and drink, writing that gluttony is the first temptation we must overcome if we are to begin walking the path of spiritual life. How are we to overcome gluttony? When it is time to eat or drink, we should think of our need and of the benefit to our health, not of pleasure. We should eat at the proper time and calmly, according to what we need, with gratitude for what Providence provides. We must remember that a rational person eats to live and does not live to eat. “Health of the body, peace of the heart.” The human being is both body and soul; therefore, we must care for the health of both. Moderation helps us do this, for through the practice of moderation we strengthen our spiritual life and also care for our physical health. Through moderation, our bodily life becomes healthier, because a moderate person never does more than he can bear, but rather considers beforehand what he should do and how much he can manage, neither too much nor too little. When we are tempted to indulge our senses, Saint George Preca urges us to remember that true peace is found only in the spiritual life. This peace leads us to silence, sobriety, chastity, and reflection upon all our actions. In contrast, sensual indulgence distances us from the spiritual life and leads to a restless, curious, impure, and foolish existence. Therefore, we must always be attentive and continue walking along the path of spiritual life through moderation; and when we fall, we must rise again and continue our journey. Kian Borg SDC Pre-Candidate

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. What a reputation to have! But why is that? Professor Saydon observes that no one in the history of Israel can be compared to Jesus as closely as Jeremiah can, because, among other things, like Jesus, he too was rejected, scourged, arrested, and, though innocent, condemned. Without doubt, this physical suffering also brought with it deep emotional and spiritual pain. But did Jeremiah know what he was getting himself into when he accepted God’s call? Naturally, he didn’t. And although he had no idea what awaited him, when the Lord called him, Jeremiah was overcome by fear, that fear of the unknown, and he protested: “Ah, Lord God! I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” (Jer 1:6) So imagine how much more strongly he would have resisted had he known exactly what lay ahead! Jeremiah’s objection can easily become our own, yours or mine, when we are asked to take on some task or responsibility. Perhaps we too are seized by that same spirit of fear, saying: “I’m still young in age, young in virtue, young in wisdom, young in experience, small beside others, small before the greatness of this mission…” Surely, both you and I face countless fears in our minds. But don’t let those fears defeat you. Be afraid only of deceiving yourself into thinking that you can do it all by your own strength, for you will soon lose heart. Keep always before your eyes what God promised Jeremiah: “Do not be afraid… for I am with you.” (Jer 1:8) And remember that yes, although you may be young or inexperienced in one way or another, God always chooses to work through humble instruments. In light of all this, reflect on the words of Saint John Henry Newman, and make his prayer your own: “Lord, I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me.” With this prayer, rest in God’s embrace with boundless trust. The same God who knew you even before he formed you in the womb (Jer 1:5) will himself provide all that is necessary to accomplish his purpose, for he is always with us, beside us, and walking with us. Gilbert Borg SDC Candidate

The Sacred Art of Dying with the Saints   The Little Poor Man whispered, “Welcome, Sister Death!” What gracious words, as to a friend, even in the hour of his passing! St Francis of Assisi loved all nature – animate and inanimate, animals and birds, spirits and powers, even life and death – all creation shared in the same Divine Largesse of Jesus Christ. As fellow creatures of God, they were all his kin, and he greeted them with hospitality – the healthy and beautiful people as well as lepers and “...the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” (Luke 14:12-14). Even the littlest delights of life were not excluded as Francis faced mortality. According to his biographer, Tommaso da Celano, Francis longed for Mostaccioli – sweet, almond cookies – that he had once enjoyed. This was conveyed to a wealthy benefactor, Lady Jacoba de Settesoli, who hurried from Rome to bring the delicious treat to her dying friend. Although Fra Angelico is officially the patron saint of artists, especially painters, St Francis chose the artistry of being. Abiding constantly in the Incarnate Word, Il Poverello’s singing and exuberance of life showed Christians of all ages the Ars Vivendi – the art of living – as well as of dying, the Ars Moriendi. Another great artist of the sacred way, St Augustine of Hippo, directed the faithful: "Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence." Whatever the form of sacred artistry, those who are disciples share one communion and aim: that Jesus Christ be known and loved. Moreover, the same tools of resolution are employed by those great artists and saints who consecrate the world itself to God: poverty, charity, simplicity, meekness, humility, and love of being despised, for the sake of the Lord Jesus. My late husband was an educator and poet, as well as a husband and father. The sacred art of living mattered to him, as it does to me, but I am no artist. After forty years of creative tension, we were blessed to be together when the hour of final division came. His was a hard death after long suffering and illness. Even so, because Christ was so close to us both in that moment, his passing was the zenith of our married life together. A great teacher to the very end, my late husband’s final word, barely audible, was “Love!”  Shortly before his end, he was no longer aware of familiar surroundings. Confused and agitated, he struggled to get out of bed. With his best professorial voice, he insisted: “Let me get up! I must stand up for the King!” Then, he added enigmatically: “...And I won’t be your king, unless you let me get up!” Our eldest daughter answered, equally cryptically but with gentle authority: “Dad, you must lie back down now. Jesus is the King, and He is coming to you. You’re supposed to lie down, just quietly, and wait for Him.” Staring vacantly for a moment, he finally spoke, still in a commanding but fainter voice: “Alright, then. So be it; we’ll let the Story dictate the action.” And with this final self-directive, he lay back down and waited. It did not take long before Sister Death came to call. The terrifying black hole of death has been too often romanticized; it is not easy to die. Nor is it easy to accept the love of Jesus, from whom people find courage to live! The courageous saints conformed their unique lives according to the pattern of Christ Jesus and his teaching. As living manifestations of the Beatitudes, they embodied that mysterious art form of dying to self. They show us how to live joyously in the Kingdom of God, and we tremble in our hope to join them. Each generation of the Church’s Faithful builds cumulatively upon the model given us by the earlier saints. Drawing on their presence and example, all people now living belong to the very real Communion of Saints and draw strength and inspiration through their intercessory prayers and sacred artistry. With what gratitude we return the blessing with the familiar prayer: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.” Ruth D. Lasseter SDC Associate Indiana, USA

The Apostolic Letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope, has been issued by Pope Leo XIV to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Conciliar Declaration Gravissimum educationis. This significant document highlights the extreme importance and current relevance of education in human life. Far from being merely a secondary task, the text emphasizes that education “forms the very fabric of evangelization” by acting as the concrete means through which the Gospel becomes an educational gesture and a relationship. Educational communities are called to be revitalized amidst a landscape of rapid change and uncertainty, choosing to build bridges rather than walls. Even in a complex, fragmented, and digitized educational environment, the original potency of Gravissimum educationis remains clear. Confronting dramatic global emergencies, such as poverty, migration, and various forms of inequality, compels the Church to renew its educational commitment. Indeed, education, as recalled in an Apostolic Exhortation, “is one of the highest expressions of Christian charity”. The letter advocates for refocusing on the "cosmology of Christian paideia," a vision capable of inspiring all aspects of education. Crucially, the principles outlined in the Apostolic Letter reaffirm the necessity of placing the person at the center of the educational process, thereby safeguarding human dignity. This vision is closely linked to the prophetic legacy of the Global Compact on Education by Pope Francis, which seeks to form alliances across institutions in universal fraternity. Ultimately, Drawing New Maps of Hope is presented as an urgent mandate for Catholic educational institutions navigating the difficulties of the present time. Read The Apostolic Letter - Drawing New Maps of Hope

As the year begins to darken and nature grows still, we are gently reminded of the frailty and brevity of human life. The Church invites us not to avoid the thought of death, but to face it with faith, trust, and hope. Throughout November, we honour the saints who now live in God’s presence, while also praying for the departed who still need our intercession. In this act of remembrance, we affirm that we belong to one spiritual family, the communion of saints, bound together in a love that does not end. Christian hope assures us that love is stronger than death, giving us strength even in seasons of loss. Jesus proclaims, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), offering us the promise of life beyond the grave. The saints whose lives we revisit throughout the year show us that holiness is possible for ordinary people who place God at the centre of everything. Their example teaches us that death is not a final page, but the opening of a new chapter with Christ. As the liturgical year closes and the feast of Christ the King approaches, we are reminded to live each day in the light of eternity, with hearts full of gratitude and purpose. St Paul urges us to persevere, assuring us that nothing done for God is ever wasted. Although the Jubilee of Hope nears its conclusion, the call to live in hope continues, pointing us toward the day we will meet the One who loves us endlessly. With the Psalmist we pray for the wisdom to “number our days” (Psalm 90:12) so that we may walk as pilgrims of hope, ready to enter the eternal feast when the Bridegroom calls.