A priest, chaplain, and teacher in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Father John Jimenez preaches against dehumanization and Rene Girard's idea of the “expanding bubble of desire.” Through his writings, Father John Jimenez points to powerful stories of hope, such as The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Evil and darkness often lead to feelings of hopelessness, but in those times, a story such as the one written in The Lord of the Rings provides a powerful illumination of the true Christian virtue of hope. This virtue means neither expecting all suffering to vanish nor achieving instant victory. Rather it means being willing to strive onward, step by step making the right choice, trusting in God's providence to bring good out of all things.
Frodo and Sam illustrate that reality beautifully. When they venture into Mordor it seems certain that they must be captured by the orcs and the ring of power taken to Sauron. They have nothing to protect them but their humility and their hope. Those virtues allow them also to resist the temptation to seize the power of the ring for themselves.
In their journey toward Mount Doom to destroy the ring, they seek the good of others rather than looking for their own pleasure. They trust in that beyond themselves. That hope carries them through immense fear and suffering, leading to a victory that no army or technological advancement could ever achieve.
