When we look at our lives, and see the imperfection, we are discouraged and lose hope, but when we look at Jesus, that He loves us and dwells in us, we are brought back to hope.
Since our God is the source of our hope, we wonder what this hope does for us.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be filled with all joy and peace.
People everywhere are looking for happiness, they are looking to wealth, fame, good times, earthly loves and more, but we know that lasting joy and peace come from within, which hope in God brings to us.
It also reminds us that Christian hope is not about us and what we can do, but it is about our relationship with God and with others.
The heart of the Christian hope is trust in God’s promise, and not the desire to achieve what we want as individuals.
It is a way of following Jesus with confidence that God will be with us at every point of our journey.
All the Christians are encouraged to have hope for this life and the next. Many people in our community live without hope.
We do not know when Jesus will return, but St Paul encourages us to believe, to be alert and to know that he will indeed return.
How about us?
Through our faith in Jesus, we will be with him when we die, we will be with him when he returns, and we will be with him for ever.
That is good news. That is a reason to have hope!
Hope and love are things everyone needs. Hope gives you a direction; otherwise you wander about lost.
Some people hope for a large bank account for their old age, some hope for fame while they are young. Others hope just to be loved, and to find the capacity to love.
I asked a simple but direct question to a student: Why are you a Christian?
He answered: I’m a Christian because I believe in Jesus. Jesus will always forgive me, and He’ll always be with me wherever I go. That’s why I’m a Christian.
No-one trained him to give that answer. He has a very real hope and a very real faith in Jesus.
Dear people of God: “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect …” (1 Peter 3:15).
We need to share our riches by witnessing to others that our hope can be their hope, and our Saviour their Saviour. Hope in Christ.
— Uday Marneni, Parish Priest of St Augustine’s Church and Sacret Heart Tatura
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