Do you struggle with despair and cultivating the virtue of hope? Take the advice of the Saint Maker, Venerable Louis of Granada.
How Consideration Strengthens Virtue
Consideration helpeth also no less the virtue of hope. This hope is an affection of our will that hath his motive and root in the understanding. As the Apostle signifieth plainly unto us, saying: All things that are written, are written for our instruction: that through patience, and consolation, which the Scriptures give unto us, we may have hope and affiance in almighty God.
For undoubtedly the holy scripture is the fountain, from whence the just man gathereth the water of comfort, wherewith he strengtheneth himself, to put his hope and trust in God.
How Scripture Reveals the Foundations of Hope
For first of all he seeth in the holy Scriptures the greatness of the works and merits of our Savior Jesus Christ, which are the principal stay and foundation of our hope.
There he seeth likewise in a thousand places the greatness of the goodness, sweetness, and majesty of almighty God lively expressed, and set out to the eye, and withal the merciful loving providence he hath over them that be his: the gentleness, and benignity, wherewith he receiveth them that come unto him: and the faithful promises and pledges he hath given unto them, whereby they are very well assured, that he will never forsake them, that repose their hope and trust in him.
God’s Help Throughout Salvation History
There he seeth, that there is no one thing more often repeated in the Psalms, more commonly promised in the Prophets, more evidently declared in the histories from the beginning of the world, than the loving favors, graces, and benefits, that our Lord continually bestoweth upon such as be his servants: and how he hath most mercifully holpen and defended them in all their calamities, and distresses.
How he helped Abraham in all his journeys: Jacob in his dangers: Joseph in his banishment: David in his persecutions: Job in his adversities: Tobias in his blindness: Judith in her enterprise: Hester in her petition: The noble Machabees in their battles, and triumphs: and to be short, as many as with humble and religious hearts committed themselves unto him.
These and other the like examples do strengthen and encourage our heart in labors, and adversities, and cause it to hope, and trust assuredly in God.
What Consideration Does in the Spiritual Life
Now what doth consideration work in all this? Forsooth, it taketh this medicine into her hands, and applieth it to the weak and diseased member, that hath need of it.
I mean hereby, that consideration bringeth all these things into our remembrance, and representeth them to our heart: it searcheth and weigheth the greatness of these loving pledges and mercies of almighty God, and with them animateth, and encourageth the afflicted person, that he be not dismayed, but rather fortifieth him with a strong hope, and induceth him also to put his trust in that most merciful and loving Lord, who never failed any one man, that had recourse unto him with all his heart.
Why Hope Cannot Survive Without Consideration
By this therefore thou seest Christian reader, how consideration is the minister and servant of hope, and how it serveth her, and representeth unto her all such things as may strengthen, and encourage her.
But that man that considereth not any of these things, and hath no eyes to see any part of them, wherewith can he possibly strengthen, and fortify this virtue of hope in himself, that it may be profitable unto him in his labors, and adversities?
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This article is taken from a chapter in The Book of Prayer and Meditation by Venerable Louis of Granada which is available from TAN Books.
