My dearest students,
“Patience walks hand-in-hand with hope, providing a steady path forward — Pope Francis
As you await the results of your Diploma of Secondary Education [DSE], I want to offer you words of encouragement and remind you of the profound hope that is available to us through our faith in Jesus Christ. This period of waiting can be filled with anticipation, and perhaps a little anxiety, but it is also an opportunity to deepen your trust in God’s loving plan for each of you.
Our Catholic Church teaches that hope is “a gift from God by which we desire the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life as our ultimate happiness” [Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1817]. It is not wishful thinking, but trust in Christ’s promises and hope in the grace of the Holy Spirit to carry us through. This hope is an anchor for the soul, especially when we doubt.
Remember the words of St. Paul in his letter to the Romans: “we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” [Romans 5:3-5]. While waiting for results may not be “suffering” in the most severe meaning of the world, it is a period of trial that can build endurance and character within you. This process in turn, strengthens your hope, understanding that God’s love is eternal and unchanging.
Pope Francis reminds us that “patience walks hand-in-hand with hope, providing a steady path forward” [Cycle of Catechesis. Vices and Virtues. 18. Hope, 8 May 2024]. Nowadays, in a time of instant solutions, we typically want immediate results, but this time of waiting can plant in us the virtue of patience, which is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It keeps our hope alive and makes it strong as a lifestyle.
While waiting for results may not be ‘suffering’ in the most severe meaning of the world, it is a period of trial that can build endurance and character within you. This process in turn, strengthens your hope, understanding that God’s love is eternal and unchanging
Your worth and your future are not solely determined by the outcomes of these tests. God’s divine power has already given us everything needed for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness [2 Peter 1:3]. He has given us precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become participants of the divine nature [2 Peter 1:4]. This means that your true self and ultimate destiny are found in your relationship with God, rather than simply success in academia.
St. Peter encourages us to “make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love” [2 Peter 1:5-7]. Continue cultivating these virtues in your lives, regardless of the results you receive. These are the virtues that bring about an abundant and successful life in Christ.
Christ Jesus came into the world as a Master and a Companion, and his grace was poured out for us with the faith and love that are in him [1 Timothy 1:14-15]. He is faithful, and he will do what he promised [1 Thessalonians 5:24]. Therefore, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus “ [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18].
As you wait, continue to pray, trust in God’s providence, and remember that His plan for you is always one of hope and a future. May He the God of peace Himself make you complete and may you be kept in full, spirit, soul, and body, blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
With prayers and blessings,
Sincerely,
Dominique Mukonda, CICM
