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My dear brothers and sisters:

 

I don’t know when it was decided that news of misfortunes and the darkest aspects of humanity should dominate our news broadcasts. Every week we are bombarded with such negativity that we have to make a significant effort not to be infected by pessimism and tension, and to avoid ending up thinking that everything is going from bad to worse.

 

In this Sunday’s Gospel, John the Baptist asks Jesus to define himself, asking him point-blank if he was the expected Messiah. His answer was as surprising as it was hopeful: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and those who are sad and discouraged find reasons to smile again. We should not forget this unique way in which Jesus responded to the one who asked him about his identity. Pessimism, spreading negativity, and going through life with a sour face are attitudes incompatible with the God of Jesus.

 

He reveals himself wherever there are signs of the triumph of good over suffering. That is why we, his followers, must be bearers of a smile, to bear witness to others that God continues to give hope to those who need it. Certainly, there will be many times when we don’t feel like smiling, but the reasons for our hope are not improvised nor dependent on which way the wind blows; rather, they are strengthened day by day as we build our inner lives on deep foundations. Hope is rooted in trust in the God of forgiveness and peace, and therefore, it can endure even in those moments when other reasons for joy have faded.

 

Despite the media’s constant barrage of misfortunes and lamentations, daily life offers us the example of many ordinary people who are anonymous witnesses to the good that dwells in the hearts of human beings. Let us keep our eyes open to see and our hearts open to hold onto the everyday examples of gratitude, forgiveness, and generosity found in people’s lives. Let us join this force for good to spread hope and bring smiles to a world that so desperately needs God. A more humane world where there is comfort for those who suffer and where those who are desperate find a helping hand.

 

Happy Sunday!

 

 

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