The Apostle of Hope

If you’ve been here for any length of time, you’re probably quite aware that I am a *big* St. Jude fan. St. Jude, the apostle and friend of Jesus, is often forgotten about because his name is so similar to that of the traitor (Judas Iscariot). However, those who ask for his intercession are often blown away by his efficaciousness, and he’s become widely known as the “patron saint of impossible causes.”

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I was introduced to St. Jude when I was 18, by a friend’s mother. She had just returned from a pilgrimage to St. Jude’s basilica and brought me a gorgeous green rosary as a gift. I didn’t know it then, but I would soon cultivate a deep devotion to St. Jude – praying countless St. Jude Novenas and prayers to St. Jude. The stories I could tell about his intercession are innumerable (there’s a reason I run to him so often!) and I’ll gladly share some next time we see each other 🙂

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This past weekend, during a wonderful trip to NYC, my friend Katie and I stopped by the St. Jude shrine in one of my favorite Dominican churches. I went to pick up one of the new prayer cards, and I gasped. Instead of the usual “Patron of impossible and desperate causes,” under the name “St. Jude,” the card read “Apostle of Hope.”

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Apostle of Hope. The saint known for so long as the patron of impossible and hopeless causes had received a rebrand on this particular prayer card, and while it might not seem like that big of a change, words are everything. This new title is so much closer to the truth: he is not the patron of impossible causes themselves, but rather a patron of the hope we have that God redeems any impossible situation, that we can trust Him completely, and that we can live in the freedom of hope because of this incredible truth.

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That prayer card is sitting next to me as I write this, and I think it’s the perfect Advent reflection. This is one of my very favorite liturgical seasons because it’s a season of waiting. Our lives are filled with seasons of waiting; as soon as something is achieved or accomplished, we’re on to the next longing. And that’s not a bad thing, because I’ve seen firsthand how much we grow in seasons that stretch us and push us. It’s in these in-between seasons that we grow most in faith, hope, and love. Advent is the liturgical season where we get to focus on that.

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So here’s my challenge to all of us this week: where is the Lord asking you to renew your hope? Is there something you’ve given up on or pushed aside because you’re afraid He will not respond the way you want? How can you bring it back to Him and renew the faith, hope, and love that is our baptismal call?

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One more thing – how can you be an apostle of hope this week? I’ve been in so many conversations recently that have taken such a discouraging turn, and I think that the world needs a little extra light right now. If you catch yourself in a conversation or mood where you’re complaining or commiserating, maybe take a step back and pivot the conversation to all of the things you’re grateful for instead.

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And maybe, just maybe, you can ask the Apostle of Hope for his intercession 😉

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In Christ,

Jane

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What we’re loving lately:

Our annual appeal 🙂

• Once a year, I invite readers of The SundayMonday to support our work and help me cover the expenses of this newsletter software and our website! Every year, we somehow manage to receive the *exact* amount of money in donations that it costs to run the ministry… and I’m hoping we’re able to do that again, in God’s providence. If the SundayMonday has blessed you, please consider donating to this ministry here.

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This delightful mocktail (and cocktail) recipe

• I hosted a little Christmas gathering this weekend, and whipped up some yummy drinks with home-made cranberry-orange simple syrup! I highly recommend both this mocktail and this Christmas old fashioned.

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Christmas cards

• This is the first year where I’ve sat down to write Christmas cards and let me tell you… I’m not sure how anyone is going to feel when they receive them but I feel so dang warm and fuzzy dropping stacks of letters in my mailbox. I LOVE receiving mail and I’m also a major words of affirmation girly so getting to write kind notes to my friends and get thoughtful about why I love them warms my heart right up 🥹 If you’re looking for an inexpensive and fun way to love people this season, I highly encourage it!

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Special moments this week

• On Monday nights, I love looking back on my week to see what I’ve been loving so I can share with you – and this was just the loveliest week so I thought I’d share a bunch! A stunning charcuterie board, a sunrise over the Washington Monument, my beloved Friday morning run club, the White House Christmas tour!! (magical), a princess diaries moment at my company’s holiday party, so many cranberries, and good friends! I’ve been off of Instagram for a few months now and it’s sweet to have so many pictures and memories that are just mine, but it’s also fun to share the joy! So much color! So much abundance!!

Prayer requests

• For the SundayMonday community
• For all those traveling this week

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