Once again, I exhibit my inability to refrain from unconscionable behavior directed at deceased equines--this little bugbear being amongst my favorites.
I don't know why I haven't noticed before this intercession from evening prayer of Monday of Week 2--but whatever the cause, it reminded me to assault the world once again with the "Dare we hope that all might be saved."
from Intercessions of Evening Prayer Monday Week 2Lord Jesus, grant that all men be saved,
and come to the knowledge of the truth.
For me, this is definitive. If we dare not hope it, how can we be instructed by the Church to pray for it regularly. Is our prayer to be for futility? It seems clear to me that the Church is saying definitively that we may hope for all to be saved if only by the the logic that if we are forbidden to hope it, why then would we pray for it.
So, hoping it is, beyond question, permissible. Teaching it is equally beyond question impermissible.
An interesting convergence.
