Hope
Sunday 22nd March 2026, led by Penn Smith
Gathering
Welcome to everyone, those here in this garden and those joining us on zoom. We take a few moments to centre ourselves, taking space for ourselves, to breath and to feel the safe environment around us.
Upcoming Eco-Contemplative Liturgies
Introduction
Today’s liturgy is about our hope and the power it gives us.
Readings
Hope is the fire, the sacred fire that you nurture and then that fire guides you. And taking care of hope is taking care of that fire. And in indigenous communities, in my community, the elders will ask me, how's your fire? And that doesn't mean like, how are you doing emotionally, physically? That's like, how's your determination? How's your drive, how's your clarity? It's much deeper than the first three layers, like physical, emotional, spiritual. It's like the thing inside you that really drives you, and to feed that fire, to feed that hope. There's certain things that I've thought about it for a long time, one of them, is doing things from a place of love rather than rage. 'cause if you feed your fire with rage, you will have an angry, uncontrollable fire that can be more destructive than nurturing. A fire with love is the fire that regenerates.
‘The great simplification’ interview, Xiye Bastida
…Hope is not like a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky…Hope is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency; because hope should shove you out the door, because it will take everything you have to steer the future away from endless war, from the annihilation of the earth’s treasures and the grinding down of the poor and marginal. Hope just means another world might be possible, not promised, not guaranteed. Hope calls for action; action is impossible without hope.
‘Hope in the Dark’ Rebecca Solnit
Faith in the vision Faith in the search Faith in the mission Faith in our work
Faith in our power Faith in our voice Faith in our failure Faith in our choice
Faith in the movement Faith in the team Faith in action Faith in the dream
Faith in the system Faith for the fight Faith in transformation Faith and foresight
Faith in the ordinary Faith in the small Faith in the findings Faith right after thefall
‘Do we have enough faith?”’(excerpt 1) Josiane Smith
Individual contemplative time (15 minutes)
We now have a time of silence in the garden, or if you are online, somewhere you feel you can connect with nature. We have 15 minutes.
Regathering
Please share, if you wish to, something that has arisen from your time of contemplation.
Readings
Faith in the stranger Faith in the doubt Faith in our neighbour Faith that casts out
Faith in our loved ones Faith when it’s hard Faith in ourselves Faith this will pass
Faith in humanity Faith even through fear Faith in community Faith in our prayer
Faith in seedlings Faith in spring Faith in the winters Faith in the wins
Faith is needed Faith is our fuel When faith is repeated Faith is renewal.
‘Do we have enough faith?’ (excerpt 2) Josiane Smith
The Prince and the two children were standing with their heads hung down, their cheeks flushed, their eyes half closed; the strength all gone from them; the witch’s enchantment almost complete. But Puddleglum, desperately gathering all his strength, walked over to the fire. […] “One word, Ma’am,” he said, “One word. […] Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things – trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a playworld which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I’m going to stand by the play-world. I’m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can, even if there isn’t any Narnia.
‘The Silver Chair’ C. S. Lewis
Concluding prayer and blessing
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.
Serenity Prayer, AA version
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