Stories of Hope

Advent Scripture Course 2023

Stories of Hope

Hope is “the humble virtue, the virtue that courses beneath the water of life, that keeps us from drowning in the many difficulties and losing the desire to find God, to find that marvellous face that we will all see one day” – Pope Francis

The theme of this Advent Scripture Course is "Stories of Hope," and will focus on how hope is found in three very different texts in the Bible: Esther, Romans, and Mark. Advent is a time of expectation, and the hope of salvation that came with the birth of Jesus Christ. With recent news headlines of increasingly dangerous weather events, hostilities in various parts of the world, and further humanitarian crises, today's world is very much in need of the hope that Scripture can help us find in our lives.

Course Structure
The course will feature a total of six prerecorded presentations, two from each of the three presenters, which can be enjoyed at your own pace once the course goes live. In addition to the presentations, there will also be two live Zoom webinars: a Q&A session, and a meditation session based on the texts and themes of the course.

Dates & Pricing

Presentation Topics

Jessie Rogers

For Such a Time as This
(Esther 4:14)

Inspiration From the Book of Esther
Jessie’s two presentations will look at hope in the Book of Esther – a text not traditionally associated with the Advent season. Yet, much inspiration can be drawn from how God is portrayed to be at work in the story world of this ancient narrative. 

Kieran J. O'Mahony

Hope Does Not Disappoint!
(Romans 5:5)

St. Paul's Teaching on Christian Hope
Hope can be seen as a foundational element throughout Paul’s letters. In two presentations, Kieran provides an overview of the apostle’s teaching on hope, focusing in particular on what we can learn from Romans 8.

Seán Goan

The Seed Grows We Know Not How
(Mark 4:27)

Mark For the New Liturgical Year
For his two presentations, Seán explores what it means to follow Jesus in Mark, focusing on the “seed parables.” While the story of Mark could be described by some as dark, it does point us in the direction of hope.