This is a tough one for me. In my mind, hope has always been more than a desire or an expectation or belief in a particular wish fulfillment, it is an expectation that goodness and love will prevail, even if my own actions fall short. Yet, in a world rooted in free will (that’s a discussion for another time) my hope, the anticipation of goodness can and often does run head on into the hubris of others, (seen as an exaggerated pride or self confidence rooted in limited or no real ability). Jesus tells us, for example, that the hubris of the Pharisees is believing themselves to be exceptionally pious or morally superior to others while rejecting core values of compassion, mercy and justice over outward displays of religious devotion.

I am not saying that I never fall into the trappings of hubris, but I certainly have in my past tried to learn from those moments (and the simple fact that I have about a 5 second karmic turnaround). The focus of hope verses hubris at this point in time, is to focus entirely on what core values will move us forward in goodness toward a better future. While my hope does sometimes wain in the face of those who preen with righteous arrogance that the train they are on is limited to just a select few, it is the strength of my faith rooted in my very real belief that there really is only one train, and either we work together on how that train reaches its destination, i.e. a better life on this planet first and then eternal life, or we allow the hubris of those who live in the confidence that only “the certain chosen few” get to ride the train, leaving no one to arrive at our destination.

What those who share in the kind hubris the Pharisees fell victim to results in their inability to see and understand that the world depends on the gifts of a whole lot more than their little group to run smoothly. The focus on a narrow perspective on how the world should run is in complete defiance of the analogy of the body that Paul uses in Corinthians, it acts in defiance of Jesus command that we treat the lowest of those in society as if they were him. It is not rooted in mercy or compassion, but the designation that “some” are not worthy and must be cast out. The hubris in this notion comes when a human being decides that they know the mind of God and can determine, by formula, who is worthy and who is not. It is the purest form of bullshit that exists. Just putting oneself under the umbrella of a religious or righteous person didn’t work for anyone in history who decided they knew what was best for everyone.

And that leads me to hope in true goodness. There have been religious leaders in our human history who did lay claim to greater knowledge, without falling into the trappings of hubris…and it was discovering their true strength lies in being humble over being full of pride. The true test of Christs power is that he faced the tests of his giftedness and was still willing to put that strength aside to make a great sacrifice on our behalf. There is no hubris in a God who loved us enough to die for us in order to save us…even in the face of our own frailty and flaws.

So my hope, while delicate, will reside in watching and supporting those who are compassionate, act with mercy, are humble and acknowledge that we are all on this train together, even when we are not all thrilled about who we have to share a seat with.