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Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, 1 Peter 3:15-18, John 14:15-21
St. Peter in the epistle says “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” Yeah, how do we have hope in a world where wars keep breaking out, gas cost $5 a gallon, political divisions are toxic, the rich keep getting richer and poor poorer, there is little will to fix our damaged climate, families are dysfunctional, health care costs more than we can afford, violence is endemic in our city, racism seems baked into the national culture, immigrants are treated as trash to be thrown out, children continue to be abused, a good education feels out of reach, housing is unaffordable and plain old death continues to stalk us. Yeah, Mr. and Mrs. Christian, give me a reason for hope in such a world. To which we answer: we have reason to hope because Jesus told us “I am in the Father and you are in me and I am in you.” Unpacking what that means is the reason for hope.
“I am in the Father.” The one thing that is clear about creation is that God has given human beings free will – and that free will gives us a lot to wiggle room to mess up – which we do on a regular basis spectacularly. But built right into the system is the remedy – God did not leave us here to fumble around on our own but chose to share in the world he created. As Jesus put it: “I will not leave you orphans.” Jesus is God taking responsibility for creation. When Jesus says “I am in the Father” he tells us that no matter how things seem to be going, God isn’t done yet. God sent Jesus to show us that God has a plan for this world, a plan for our welfare, not for woe. The Son of God became a human being because creation was designed to welcome the presence of the divine in our midst. Jesus is our reason for hope because he is the promise of God that, however things seem, God isn’t finished yet, that Good Friday becomes Easter Sunday, that love is stronger than death.
We also have hope because Jesus gave us the blessed assurance that “I am in the Father and you are in me,” that we have access to the grace and mercy of God because of our connection with Jesus. When we look at all the trouble in the world, in our families, in our own hearts, it can feel overwhelming. What can I do in the face of such difficulties? Jesus insists that we are not fighting the fight on our own but are plugged into the one who can do all things. We are in Jesus when we pray. Even if nothing seems to be happening in our quiet times in every breath we take, we are breathing in the Spirit of Jesus. Also, we are in Jesus as we gather around this Eucharistic table. The Lord said “this is my body, this is my blood” to demonstrate that God is not above it all, glorying in being in heaven, but here among us, strengthening us, nourishing us and consoling us. The Eucharist provides a connection with Jesus which is just as real as the connection he had with Peter, Andrew, Mary Magdalene and the rest. We have reason to hope because we wrapped in the everlasting arms of the God who promises that all will be well, all manner of things will be well.
Finally, we have reason to hope because Jesus is in us. “I am in the Father and you are in me and I am in you.” Jesus being in us transforms us into the creatures we are made to be, made in the image and likeness of God, precious in God’s sight. That means that all the ugliness of the world, all those troubling aspects of creation do not define us, love does. We look at everything in this world with the eyes of God, which is to say, the eyes of love since God is love. Love your family: your parents, your children, your spouse, your brothers, your sisters. Family dysfunction does not define us, love does. Love them enough that you are willing to forgive them, that you want them to be better than they are now. Love all the people in your life: your friends, co-workers, people down the block. Disagreements and differences don’t define us, love does. Love them enough that you trust their good intentions. Love them enough to let them be other than you.
In a preferential way, hope means loving those who are hurting. Love them enough to feel a genuine connection with everyone. Economics, race, culture don’t define us, love does. Love them so much that your lifestyle and values are changed. Love them and do what you can to feed the hungry, welcome the immigrant, console the sorrowing. Love them enough to work to change the reality that makes these conditions happen. But that means you must love yourself, which is, after all, the foundation of love of neighbor. Love yourself enough to believe God isn’t finished with you yet. That is our reason for hope.
Always remember that creation is a work in progress. We have to keep at making this world looked like God intends it to be every day in every way. Once there was a spindly little sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. A knight in shining armor came by on his mighty steed. When we reined in the horse and saw the situation he asked the sparrow why he is lying upside down like that. “Haven’t you heard, the sky is falling,” said the sparrow. “And I suppose your puny little legs can hold it up!” said the knight. “One does what one can,” answered the sparrow, “one does what one can.” That’s our reason for hope.
