Wittertainees, the devoted followers of The Church of Wittertainment (or Kermode & Mayo's film review show on radio 5 Live), are familiar with one particular peculiarity of the Friday afternoon show where listeners write in with their trials and misfortunes, asking Mark Kermode to repeat the comfortable words "everything will be alright in the end...and if it's not OK it's not the end". Those of a religious persuasion may recognise the similarity to Mother Julian's much quoted "all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well".
It's been difficult to find the hope in such a tumultuous year, which means the pressure is on Christmas to bring some much needed joy, yet it doesn't always deliver. The hope, the joy, is something we need to find within ourselves, I think that too often we look to external things to bring us happiness. It has to start with us...and everything WILL be right...in the end.
Converted anxiety is hope. Anxiety is dreadful expectation; hope is expectant desire. They are like cousins to each other. Pray for the conversion of your fretful anxiety into promising hope. If you are anxious just now, you are almost already hopeful.
-Br. Curtis Almquist
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