It would be very sad indeed to learn about death and all of our other heavy topics of the month without ending with a look at hope.

Hope is one of the things that sets Christians apart.  It’s completely based on trust and putting our lives in God’s hands with absolute confidence that He will care for us.  Yes, we still get sick and our cars break down and we have times of sadness and suffering, just like everyone else, but Catholics know that suffering has a purpose and we can trust in God’s plan with joy!

I Thessalonians 5:8 teaches that hope is the helmet of our armor.  A helmet protects us and the virtue of hope acts in much the same way, protecting our trust in Jesus even when we have no idea where He’s taking us.  If you have younger kids, they’ll probably like the helmet-making activity on page 4.

And, as always this year, we’re asking, “Where is Jesus found in this topic?”

For that, let’s turn to the Catechism.

• Jesus is the hope that does not disappoint.
• Hope is the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul that enters where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.
• Jesus is our only hope, giving meaning to death.
• Jesus is the fulfillment of the hope of Israel.
•  Because of His resurrection, Jesus is our living hope.