The great adventure

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s celebrated high fantasy adventure, The Lord of the Rings, Frodo and Sam embark on a dangerous journey to destroy the Ring of Power forged by the evil being, Sauron. With the odds stacked against them–and with the survival of all good creatures of Middle Earth depending on their success–how do they maintain hope in the story?

When hope is elusive or slipping away, they become hope for someone else. And in Frodo’s case, for many.

The crown of life

In the lengthy heavenly vision (which later became the Book of Revelation), Jesus said to the apostle John while he was exiled on the island of Patmos:

“Even if you have to die … keep faithful, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10).

Jesus was directing those words (through John) to the early Christian church in Smyrna (now present-day Turkey), who was being harshly persecuted under the Roman Emperor, Domitian (who reigned: 81-96 AD), producing the first early Christian martyrs.

His exhortation is a hard saying, but it encapsulates the bedrock of Christianity: staying faithful to Christ no matter the cost, because life does not end here.

Christians know eternal life awaits those who stay faithful to the truth, who is God.

And their hope will not disappoint them (Rom 5:5).

Hope is rooted in Christ’s triumph

Even the forces of evil unwittingly carry out God’s divine plan for goodness and salvation, bringing a greater good out of such atrocious evil in a mysterious way beyond the reckoning of mankind.

Though life can be hopeless here–for the Christian–his hope rises above the natural earthly circumstances and takes on a supernatural quality.

Therefore, hope rests on the solid foundation of the faithfulness of God’s promise to vindicate some, and hold others accountable–at the end of their earthly lives, and at the end of all days.

It also rests on the mercy of God through the Blood of Christ Jesus who took on the sins of mankind.

Ultimately, it is rooted in the knowledge of the fullness of life after this one.

That means, despite suffering one endures, within him lies the hope that God will recompense those who suffer unjustly. And that it will all be set right and worth it in the end.

Eyes wide open

How, then, is the Christian different?

His hope remains in tact no matter what happens to him. Therefore, he has no fear of the future, or of death.

Rather than going through life in denial of what’s to come (aging and eventual death), or striving (and failing) to create his own paradise on earth, he looks ahead with eyes wide open.

The Christian knows his vindication lies in the future, after his death. And he waits for it patiently (Rom 8:25). For who hopes for what he already possesses? (Rom 8:24).

He can see what others cannot see, and–because he has hope–he can be for the hopeless what they cannot be for him.

How? Simply by living out the reason for his hope ( 1 Pet 3:15).

Heavenly glory

St. Paul said of the three theological virtues–faith, hope and love–only love will remain in heaven.

That means the Christian must hold fast to his gifts of faith and hope on his earthly journey, in order to endure to the end and meet God in heavenly glory.

Like each character in The Lord of the Rings, he must continue down his own path fraught with dangers and resistance. And also like them, he is never alone.

“Ye though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for [God] is with me” (Ps 23:4).

St. Cecelia (c. 220-230-c. 222-235 AD) virgin and martyr, pray for us.