Daring to Dream
by Kelly Sankowski
I think we all have moments in our lives when we feel that God has left us. That surely we must have done something wrong, because the circumstances enveloping us seem too dire. Collectively, we have had plenty of opportunities to despair in the past few years – a global pandemic that seemed interminable, nasty wars that continue to rage on, and a volatile political climate. It is only natural to wonder where God is amid all of this.
But today’s readings serve as a reminder to hope. The first reading from Isaiah was written when the Judeans were allowed to return to their home of Jerusalem, after being sent away for an exile of roughly 70 years in Babylon. Much like the “lost sheep” in today’s Gospel, they felt they had done something wrong, and God had forgotten about them as a result. There were likely very few people still alive who remembered what their homeland was like. Perhaps, as a people, they had reached a point where they no longer dared to dream it was even possible for God to return to them.
So imagine the comfort of these images of the Good Shepherd speaking tenderly to them, rushing toward them, and carrying them in God’s bosom. Imagine their relief at learning that the impossible was actually possible: they could, at last, return home.
During this season of Advent, what are the things that feel difficult to hope for? In which aspects of our lives does God feel far away? And what would it look like if we dared to dream of a better future?
Kelly Sankowski is a freelance writer and editor focused on amplifying the voices of women in the Church. She lives in Toledo, Ohio with her husband and two sons. You can read more of her work on her website or subscribe to her substack.
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