Baby 'Esperanza' waits above

"...It started as a tragedy...and ended as a blessing." These were the words that Chilean President, Sebastián Piñera, chose to describe the story of the rescue of the 33 miners, who were trapped, 700 meters below ground for 69 days.

For the first 17 of the 69 days, there was no contact between the trapped men and rescue teams. The men were alone. What kept them going? What kept the rescue teams searching?

In mid-September, just about 40 days after the collapse of the San Jose mine shaft, Elizabeth Segovia, wife to Ariel Ticona Yanez, gave birth to a baby girl. The parents decided to name her, "Esperanza", Spanish word for 'Hope', instead of Carolina, their first choice.



In his book, 'Liberation from Life's Shadows', J.Maurus explains that "...hope is an indispensable ingredient of daily life and changes a grey world into one of warmth and brightness."
Indeed, what would life be without hope? At the beginning of this week, i would like to share with you, some reflections on hope, in the words of Fr. James Keller, an American priest.

Fr.James Keller, MM

Hope looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst.

Hope opens doors where despair closes them.

Hope discovers what can be done, instead of grumbling about what cannot.

Hope draws it power from a deep trust in God and the basic goodness of humankind.

Hope "lights a candle" instead of "cursing the darkness".

Hope regards problems, small or large, as opportunities.

Hope cherishes no illusion, nor does it yield to criticism.

Hope sets big goals and is not frustrated by repeated difficulties or setbacks.

Hope pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit.

Hope puts up with modest gains, realizing that "the longest journey starts with one step".

Hope is a good loser, because it has the divine assurance of final victory.

Have a hope-filled week! Nunca perder la esperanza