1. Be Hopeful!

2. Hope is a Virtue  Hope keeps us searching for true happiness…and God IS true happiness.  Christian hope finds its foundation in the death and resurrection of Jesus – because he died and rose again, we have hope for life after death and salvation.  Hope sustains us – it keeps us going during difficult times.  Hope is sustained by prayer. In the Bible, it states, “We walk by faith, not by sight.”

3. The First Commandment… You shall not worship false Gods.  We are called to avoid idolatry (money, power, fame, etc) and place our HOPE in God.  Making assumptions, and giving in to despair means we are refusing to place our trust and hope in God.  Virtues and attitudes (like those developed through the Beatitudes) allow us to do what is good and avoid doing evil.

4. Reflection  Listen to the following song, and consider what it is that you hope for in your life.  What would your hopes be, for someone you love? For yourself?  Select a line, word, image, or part of the song (using the lyrics provided), and write a response.

5. http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=RV- Z1YwaOiw&feature=player _embedded