The Hope Within Me

Inés Mersch speaks the words of Scripture back to herself as she contemplates hope. 

For the Jubilee of Hope, our writers reflect on prayer as a source of hope in their lives.

As a Catholic daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend, I have had many moments in my life where Hope is what held me together; dragging Faith and Charity along with her into the future with great expectations and keeping her eyes set upon the One Who was surprised at this little girl, Hope, in me.  

When I was young, I hoped for little things — that I’d fit in with the other kids; that Santa would bring what I asked for; that my friend could come over. As I got older, I hoped for bigger things — that I would get into the college I wanted to attend; that I would find a spouse; that I would be able to have children, and that they would grow up to love God and others with their whole heart and follow His will for their lives. Now I hope for my husband and our marriage, our sons and their wives, our grandchildren, my widowed mom, for perseverance in faith, for charity towards others, and for a peaceful and holy death. 

Hope Is Not Easy

It sounds so easy. It’s not. I mean, it should be, but sometimes we have to dig pretty deep to not give up hoping for certain things to turn out certain ways when life is hard and everything appears to be falling apart and not going as we had planned or hoped. But that’s when Hope does her best work — when things seem so dark and lost yet we look past the mess and into the eyes of the One Who already knows the outcome because He holds our future in His hands.  

When our boys were teenagers, I began the habit of early morning “quiet times” with God. During one of these quiet times with the Lord, I remember sitting at the kitchen table, candle flickering in the darkness and the heat of my coffee rising like incense before the little gold framed picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a little ceramic bust of the Blessed Mother. The world was still sleeping, but my anxious heart could not rest. I poured through Scripture looking for anything the Lord might be saying to me, any kind of light for the darkness I was feeling.  

• Psalm 62:6-7: My soul, be at rest in God alone, from whom comes my hope. God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not fall.

• Jeremiah 29:11: For I know well the plans I have in mind for you — oracle of the Lord — plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.  

• Lamentations 3:21-23: But this I will call to mind; therefore I will hope: The Lord’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; they are renewed each morning — great is your faithfulness!  

• Romans 8:24-25: For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.  

• Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the holy Spirit. 

The Scriptures Remind Us of God's Promises

As I read each Scripture, I felt the Lord reminding me of His wide range of promises; promises for salvation, grace, mercy, eternal life, protection, provision, and guidance. I knew we didn’t deserve any of those things, but still they were spoken and offered to me and I was claiming all of those promises for my husband, each of my sons, and for myself. As I finished speaking those truths out loud, I wept as one last verse was given to me from my heavenly Father: 

Psalm 119:49-50: Remember your word to your servant by which you give me hope. This is my comfort in affliction, your promise that gives me life. 

He was giving me the words to speak back to Him. He was leading me into hope and unwavering trust. That was the Scripture that left my lips and moved my heart and surprised God. This little girl Hope inside of me delights my heavenly Father when she runs and plays and laughs without fear of the future (Proverbs 31:25).  

Life is not always easy; curve balls and crumbling plans abound most of the time, but our Triune God watches us with joy when we keep our eyes on Him throughout it all and hope in His promises. Mary knew this better than anyone as she stood at the foot of the Cross and, no matter how bad things appeared, she hoped for what she knew was coming because He promised. May we live in imitation of our Blessed Mother and always hope in Him — and surprise our heavenly Father just a little. 

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Copyright 2025 Inés Mersch
Images: Holy Cross Family Ministries

About the author: Inés Mersch has been married to her college sweetheart for 28 years, and is the mother of three wonderful young men. She enjoys life on a river in Mobile, Alabama with her husband, dog, and Fetty the attack cat. She loves Mary and her Son, a good saint story, popcorn, laughing, red wine, bold coffee, the sun (rising or setting), hip-hop, and of course, French fries.