The Reason for Our Hope
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Jesus said: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”. John 14:15
“What is the reason for your hope?” Imagine somebody coming up to you and asking you that question. Not “What are you hoping for?” or “What are you hoping to do?” No, this isn’t about our desires for possessions or aspirations for life, it’s “Why do you hope?” Peter today tells us that we ought to be ready to give an answer to this question. Truth be told, few of us spend much time thinking about why we hope. Luckily, the scriptures today give us our answers. We hope because Christ suffered for us, in order that we might come to God. We hope because we know that, in the Spirit, God grants us another Advocate through Christ to remain with us always. No matter what we might hope for, whatever we might hope to do, we must always first know and proclaim the reason for our hope: the presence of God in Christ, with us through the power of the Spirit.
Readings of the Week
Monday: Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1b-6a, 9b; Jn 15:26 — 16:4a
Tuesday: Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-3, 7c-8; Jn 16:5-11
Wednesday: Acts 17:15, 22 — 18:1; Ps 148:1-2, 11-14; Jn 16:12-15
Thursday: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28:16-20 (for Ascension); otherwise Acts 18:1-8; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 16:16-20
Friday: Acts 18:9-18; Ps 47:2-7; Jn 16:20-23
Saturday: Acts 18:23-28; Ps 47:2-3, 8-10; Jn 16:23b-28
Sunday: Acts 1:12-14; Ps 27:1, 4, 7-8; 1 Pt 4:13-16; Jn 17:1-11a; or (for Ascension) Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6- 9; Eph 1:17- 23; Mt 28:16-20