September 21, 2025
Hope is a Belief
Hope is the belief in your eternal value; the belief in a God who is present with unconditional love for you.
My mentor and dear soul friend, Sr. Paula Hagen from the Sisters of St. Benedict, created this definition of hope.
Reflect on this definition as a way to see what hope is for you and—ultimately—who God is for you.
I invite you to begin by sitting with the first phrase: “Hope is the belief in your eternal value.”
Hope is more than a wish because it comes with the expectation that your desire will come true.
What value do you hold that gives you the trust and faith that something good and true will happen for you?
What is your eternal value that stands beyond space and time and all that is temporary on earth?
What do you know to be real, sustainable, and whole no matter what happens in your life?
How does the second phrase resonate with you? “The belief in a God who is present with unconditional love for you.”
In what ways do you experience God’s presence as omnipresent?
Do you know God’s love to be unconditional?
These questions invite a dialogue in your heart on your image and experience of God. The extent to which you have hope can have a lot to do with how much you believe God is present in your everyday life.
Is God a watchful eye from above?
Is God a distant figure detached from the earthly struggles and ordinary choices you face?
Or do you experience God as an unconditional, intimate wave of grace in a helpful phone call, a comforting conversation, a situation that “coincidentally” falls into place?
Maybe you have no idea how to answer these questions, and that is okay.
I invite you to allow this definition to sit with you this week and see what simmers up to the surface.
Perhaps you will find a new way to believe in a merciful God and a new way to believe in hope.
Go Deeper. Grow Your Faith.
Discover how to find God’s signs of hope with our offerings below.
Listening for the Still Voice of God
Self-Paced Online Begins October 10, 2025 (live sharing option)
In-Person at Mercy Center Auburn, CA October 24-26, 2025
Facing a major decision or life transition and seeking God’s guidance?
Longing to find the still voice of God while making sense of suffering, violence, or confusion in the world?
Want to begin or deepen your prayer life with new spiritual practices?
Whether you’re at a crossroads or simply yearning for more of God’s peace, the intent of this retreat is to develop an awareness of the many ways God communicates with us so we can develop a closer relationship with the Divine.
Join us for an information meeting on Zoom
Thursday, September 25, 2025 10AM-11 PT | 12PM-1 CT | 1PM-2 ET
or Saturday, September 27, 2025 9AM-10 PT | 11AM-12 CT | 12PM-1 ET
Sacred Self, Sacred Community
A Spiritual Formation Program
Online: January 17 - May 23, 2026
Who am I? What is my purpose? How can I make a difference in a world full of suffering? There are times in life when you ask these deep questions and recognize it is difficult to find the answers alone. You desire a deeper connection with God and a community to support your journey.
Sacred Self, Sacred Community is designed to walk you through this process of discovery and growth in a gentle, welcoming way.
Come explore. Learn more about this special program.
Sacred Circles are a special time each month to share the theme of the month.
These are stand-alone sessions, held the second week of the month.
Sign up and come to any circle that works in your schedule. If you are new to Sacred Circle, we welcome you. Learn more about this special offering.
May we be united in our prayers for hope and united in our seeking to make sense of the world. I hope to see you at a retreat coming up.
Christine Jurisich
Retreat, Reflect, Renew Foundress
September 14, 2025
Breathing in the Light
Breathe. Breathe in God. Breathe in hope. Sometimes that is the most basic thing you can do to re-center yourself in times that feel hopeless. This past week’s shooting death of political activist Charlie Kirk calls for us to go deeper.
All this month, we are talking about finding hope from within. This week, I invite you to try a breathing prayer to help embody hope.
Breathe
Start by closing your eyes or gazing downward. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of three, and then exhale slowly out through your mouth for a count of three. Repeat this three times to develop a rhythm and feel yourself sink deeply into the center of your heart.
Read
In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God’s presence, and the Word was God. The Word was present to God from the beginning. Through the Word all things came into being, and apart from the Word nothing came into being that has not come into being. In the Word was life, and that life was humanity’s light—a Light that shines in the darkness, a Light that the darkness has never overtaken.
-Jn 1:1-5
Write
What is this verse telling you? Let it inspire you to choose a phrase or create your own mantra of hope. Examples include:
Order out of chaos
Light in the darkness
Never overtaken
Spirit of God moving
Breathe
Return to your intentional rhythm of breathing with your mantra.
Inhale the first half of your mantra.
Exhale the second half of your mantra.
Breathe in and out, hope.
Grow Your Practice. Grow Your Faith
If you enjoyed this practice, join us for “Listening for the Still Voice of God” (see below). Discover how to find God’s signs of hope.
If you are tired of this country’s divisiveness, learn more about, “Sacred Self, Sacred Community,” where a sacred community is defined as, “a place that respects each person’s story, celebrates one another’s differences, and supports one another’s faith journey.” (See below for more information).