I’d like to dedicate this episode to my mother, Mimi Finnegan who fell asleep in death yesterday. It was such a surreal experience, standing by that hospital bed with my brothers and sisters and dad. We had so much confusion regarding her prognosis, but eventually it became clear that she had very little time left. We prayed for her, read scripture to her, played some of her favorite Christian songs, and said goodbye to her. But what really grabbed my attention was her smile. She kept smiling as she knew she was dying.

She was quite alert and able to talk. When it came time to take her off the machines that were pumping medication with diminishing returns into her, she joyfully authorized their removal. I’ve never seen someone with such a firm grip on the hope of resurrection in the face of death. Honestly, it was inspiring.

Christian hope is really important, really transformative, and really crucial during times of suffering. Just knowing that there is a resurrection and that I will be able to see my mom again is a lifeline I’m clinging tightly to right now. Anyhow, this is a sermon I preached about a year ago at our church, which is called Living Hope. I hope it will encourage you to recognize the power of hope in your life.

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