Péguy on Hope

Péguy on Hope
 
 
The faith that I love best, says God, is hope.
 
Faith itself does not astonish me. It is not astonishing.
 
I am so resplendent in my creation,
in the sun and in the moon and in the stars,
in all my creatures on the face of the earth and on the face of the waters,
on the face of the mountain and of the plain
in the bread and wine
in the one who ploughs and in the one who sows
in the harvest and in the vintage
in the light and in the darkness
and in the human heart.
 
Love, says God, that does not astonish me. It is not astonishing.
 
One would need to have a heart of stone not to respond to one another's misfortunes,
not to love one another …
 
How could one withhold bread, daily bread, from the children whom my son loved so much
my son their brother who loved them with such great love?
 
But Hope, says God, that is what astonishes me.
 
I, myself, find it astonishing
that my children see what happens and believe things will improve.
 
That is the most astonishing, the most marvelous gift.
And it astonishes me, myself, that my gift has such incredible strength
since it first flowed in creation as it always will.
 
Faith sees what is.
Hope sees what will be.
Love loves what is.
 
Hope loves what has not yet been
and what will be in the future and in eternity.
 

 
Charles Péguy