BECOMING A SIGN OF CHRISTIAN'S HOPE

Jesus Christ trough a very suggestive teaching told his disciples that they are in the world but not of the world because they see the reality in the light of the word of God which is the foundation of our hope.

In fact hope has a central role in life of Christian people, because we are sure to get something good that God promised us as the foundation of a full happiness.

In fact, hope anticipates the horizons of fulfillment that we await as a guarantee of our future happiness. In other words, Christian hope fills of meaning our life.

The hope is the door that we can enter to forecast the future that God has prepared to us.
Animated by the hope Christian people contemplate the gifts that God will give to the humanity in the universal in the universal feast of the Kingdom of God.

Thanks to the anticipatory role of hope as Christians can appreciate. In the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Jesus says to his disciples that Christians are called to be salt, light and leaven in the world (cf. Mt 5, 13-16).

Hope gives us a new reason to commit, because it gives us a new sense of life and other reasons to create and love.

With the new light of hope the sufferings and death find sense says Saint Paul: “I am sure that the sufferings of this present time are nothing compared to the joy and happiness that the future holds in God (Rom 8, 18).

In another text, Saint Paul says that the sacred texts of the Bible were written to strengthen our hope (Rom 15, 4).

As the years go by and people get older, the expectation of life continues illuminated by the new light of the hope helping people to integrate their personal history in the experience of aging.

This is what says the Second Letter to the Corinthians: “However, we do not lose heart. Even though our exterior being walks to go to the ruin, our inward being is renewed every day by Holy Spirit.

In fact, our momentary affliction gives us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.
In fact, we do not look at visible and external things, because they are transient.

Instead, we set ourselves in the things above, which are invisible and eternal” (2 Cor 4: 16-18).

Hope gives us the certainty that we are not abandoned by God. Saint Paul asked God to free himself from a problem that caused him grief. But God said to him:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my liberating power is perfect when it comes to helping the weak” (2 Cor 12: 9).

A Letter to the Colossians tells us to strengthen our hope, putting our minds on things above, not on earthly things (Col 3, 2).

The more the Word of God dwells in our hearts and mind the more the Holy Spirit transforms us according to Jesus Christ.

This means that the Holy Spirit is doing in our heart what the Word of God is revealed.

Hope gives us the certainty that, despite the sufferings and difficulties of our life, God has reserved for us the wonderful gift of the eternal life in which happiness has no limits. The foundation of our hope is Jesus Christ.

These are the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John: “Jesus replied: “I am the Way, the Truth and life. No one can go to the Father except through me” (Jo 14, 6).

Strengthened with the Word of God our hope becomes the strong rock on which we can build our Christian life. In the Epistle to the Romans, Saint Paul advises Christians to rejoice in hope (Rom. 12, 12).

The joy experienced and lived with the horizons of hope is a much better than any joy that springs from a mere human experience.

Our hope, says Saint Paul in his Letter to the Galatians is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5, 22).

Referring to the difficulties faced by Christians of the city of Salonika Saint Paul invite them to stay in the Word of God, cultivating the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit (1 Tes 1, 6).

The following teaching of Jesus is an excellent example of what is joy in the Holy Spirit: I have revealed unto you these things, so that my joy may dwell in you and thus your joy may be full (Jo 15: 11).

In Communion With You

Calmeiro Matias