Okay, so on this episode of The Patrick Madrid Show, we get a look into the virtue of hope. A caller named Matt from Columbus, NJ, kicks things off by saying that a lot of Catholics don’t really get what hope actually is. Honestly, he’s onto something.

 

 

What Is the Real Meaning of Hope 🤔

 

Most people think of hope like: I hope the weather’s nice tomorrow, or I hope my team wins. But biblical, theological hope is different. The Catechism (CCC 1817) lays it out:

 

Hope is the virtue by which we desire heaven, trusting not in ourselves, but in God’s promises and His grace to get us there.

 

Basically, it’s not a shaky, fingers-crossed kind of thing; it’s a confident expectation in God’s faithfulness. 🙌

 

 

So… Can Catholics Be Sure They’re Going to Heaven? 👀

 

Matt brings up a great point here. He adds that if you ask a Catholic, “Are you going to heaven?” they’ll respond with, “Uh… I hope so?”, but with a tone of doubt. That’s a problem. Because hope isn’t uncertainty; it’s trust.

 

Patrick brings in St. Paul as Exhibit A. Paul talks about winning the race and fighting the good fight; he expects heaven, but he also knows he has to persevere to the end. We don’t “earn” salvation (we need grace!), but we cooperate with it.

 

 

So, the Catholic answer isn’t “I know I’m going to heaven, no doubt” (we’re not into that Once Saved, Always Saved mindset), but it’s also not “I have no idea”. Instead, it’s:

 

✅ I trust in God’s promises


✅ I know He’ll give me the grace to get there


✅ But I also know I have free will and need to stay faithful

 

 

Hope vs. Despair & Presumption 🚨

 

Patrick also covers the two big dangers that wreck hope:

 

1️⃣ Despair: Thinking, I’m too far gone, I’ll never be saved. That’s a lie;God’s mercy is bigger than any sin. Never stop hoping!


2️⃣ Presumption: Thinking, I don’t need to do anything, I’m automatically saved. This is also wrong; Jesus literally tells us to persevere to the end (Matt 24:13).

 

 

Hope Is Non-Negotiable. 🙏

 

Patrick ties it all together with St. Thomas Aquinas, who says hope is necessary for salvation. You have to desire heaven and expect God’s help. No hope? No heaven. 😬

 

💡 Moral of the story: Hope is trust in God’s love and promises. So next time someone asks if you’re going to heaven, don’t say “I don’t know” ... say, “I trust in God to get me there.” 💙

 

🔥 Want to level up your hope? Pray for the grace of perseverance, read Scripture, and never stop trusting in God’s goodness! 🔥

 

 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Okay, so on this episode of The Patrick Madrid Show, we get a look into the virtue of hope. A caller named Matt from Columbus, NJ, kicks things off by saying that a lot of Catholics don&rsquo;t really get what hope actually is. Honestly, he&rsquo;s onto something.
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
What Is the Real Meaning of Hope 🤔
&nbsp;
Most people think of hope like: I hope the weather&rsquo;s nice tomorrow, or I hope my team wins. But biblical, theological hope is different. The Catechism (CCC 1817) lays it out:
&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="666" data-end="811">
Hope is the virtue by which we desire heaven, trusting not in ourselves, but in God&rsquo;s promises and His grace to get us there.
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
Basically, it&rsquo;s not a shaky, fingers-crossed kind of thing; it&rsquo;s a&nbsp;confident expectation in God&rsquo;s faithfulness. 🙌
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
So&hellip; Can Catholics Be Sure They&rsquo;re Going to Heaven? 👀
&nbsp;
Matt brings up a great point here. He adds that if you ask a Catholic, &ldquo;Are you going to heaven?&rdquo; they&rsquo;ll respond with, &ldquo;Uh&hellip; I hope so?&rdquo;, but with a tone of doubt. That&rsquo;s a problem. Because hope isn&rsquo;t uncertainty; it&rsquo;s trust.
&nbsp;
Patrick brings in St. Paul as Exhibit A. Paul talks about winning the race and fighting the good fight; he expects heaven, but he also knows he has to persevere to the end. We don&rsquo;t &ldquo;earn&rdquo; salvation (we need grace!), but we&nbsp;cooperate with it.
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
So, the Catholic answer isn&rsquo;t&nbsp;&ldquo;I know I&rsquo;m going to heaven, no doubt&rdquo; (we&rsquo;re not into that Once Saved, Always Saved mindset), but it&rsquo;s also not &ldquo;I have no idea&rdquo;. Instead, it&rsquo;s:
&nbsp;
✅ I trust in God&rsquo;s promises
 ✅ I know He&rsquo;ll give me the grace to get there
 ✅ But I also know I have free will and need to stay faithful
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
Hope vs. Despair &amp; Presumption 🚨
&nbsp;
Patrick also covers the two big dangers that wreck hope:
&nbsp;
1️⃣ Despair:&nbsp;Thinking, I&rsquo;m too far gone, I&rsquo;ll never be saved. That&rsquo;s a lie; God&rsquo;s mercy is bigger than any sin. Never stop hoping!
 2️⃣ Presumption: Thinking, I don&rsquo;t need to do anything, I&rsquo;m automatically saved. This is also wrong; Jesus literally tells us to persevere to the end (Matt 24:13).
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
Hope Is Non-Negotiable. 🙏
&nbsp;
Patrick ties it all together with St. Thomas Aquinas, who says hope is necessary for salvation. You have to desire heaven and expect God&rsquo;s help. No hope? No heaven. 😬
&nbsp;
💡 Moral of the story: Hope is&nbsp;trust in God&rsquo;s love and promises. So next time someone asks if you&rsquo;re going to heaven, don&rsquo;t say &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know&rdquo; ... say, &ldquo;I trust in God to get me there.&rdquo; 💙
&nbsp;
🔥 Want to level up your hope? Pray for the grace of perseverance, read Scripture, and never stop trusting in God&rsquo;s goodness! 🔥
&nbsp;
<hr>
&nbsp;
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out <a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.