Sometimes hope changes pretty quickly for people.
One good news story and everybody’s optimistic.
But then one bad diagnosis, one financial problem, one broken relationship — and suddenly for some, hope disappears.
But we have a hope that the world doesn’t have. Christian hope.
Today’s readings remind us Christian hope is different. Our hope isn’t built on changing circumstances.
Our hope is built on a person – Jesus Christ, who promises in our Gospel: ‘I will not leave you orphans.’
Before we get to that, last week, in Acts Chapter 6, the Apostles chose seven men to help serve the growing Church. Two of the most famous were Stephen and Philip.
In Acts 7, Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr. Right after Stephen’s death, a persecution of Christians breaks out in Jerusalem. Acts 8 says:
“Those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.”
Philip in our First Reading is one of those scattered believers. In that First Reading, he goes north into Samaria and begins preaching Jesus’ resurrection there.
And that was a huge deal.
You see, Jews and Samaritans had hated each other for centuries. The Samaritans were viewed by many Jews as outsiders and religiously corrupted. Yet Philip goes there anyway.
Why?
Because Philip knew Jesus didn't come only for “our kind of people”, those who look, talk, believe, and act like us. He came for everybody.
This is actually the fulfillment of what Jesus said earlier in Acts: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
What Philip does in Samaria becomes one of the first great signs the Gospel is breaking through old divisions.
• Miracles happen.
• The sick are healed.
• Unclean spirits are driven out.
And Scripture says: “There was great joy in that city.”
I love that line. The Gospel brings joy where division existed.
Then Peter and John come down from Jerusalem because the Samaritans had accepted the word of God. Philip, as a deacon, could baptize, but the Apostles come so the people can receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation.
And that matters.
Because the Church isn’t becoming a bunch of separate groups — Jewish Christians over here and Samaritan Christians over there.
No. Christ is making them one.
One Church. One faith. One people of God.
And honestly, there is a powerful lesson there for us.
The Gospel is always pushing us believers beyond comfortable boundaries. Beyond prejudice. Beyond grudges. Beyond “people like us.”
Because it’s easy to love people who already think like us, act like us, or agree with us.
But Christian love goes further. Christian love crosses boundaries, just like Philip crossed into Samaria.
And honestly, that requires Christian hope.
Because division is easy. Forgiveness, healing relationships and loving difficult people is hard.
But Christian hope can bring joy even into divided places.
Then Peter in the Second Reading says something incredibly important. He says we must always be ready to explain the reason for our hope.
We should notice Peter assumes people should see something different about Christians.
They should see our peace. They should see our steadiness. They should see the way we handle suffering differently.
In other words, Christianity is supposed to actually change the way we live.
• When the world panics, Christians should remain grounded.
• When the world becomes bitter, Christians should know how to love. • When the world loses hope, Christians should radiate trust in God.
Which leads to a question:
When people look at your life… do they see hope?
Not fake happiness. Not carefully edited social media posts. But real hope.
Do they see someone who trusts God? Someone who believes Christ is still present? Someone who carries peace even in difficulty?
Because too often our hope rises and falls with circumstances.
• “If things go the way I want them to, I’ll be okay.”
• “If this problem gets fixed, then I’ll have peace.”
• “If life gets easier, then I’ll trust God.”
But that’s not Christian hope.
Christian hope says:
• “Even now, God is with me.”
• “Even here, Christ hasn’t abandoned me.”
• “Even in suffering, I know the Lord is still at work.”
So Jesus says in our Gospel: “I will not leave you orphans.”
That line changes everything.
Because an orphan is someone abandoned. Someone left alone. And Jesus says: “That’s not who you are.”
You’re not forgotten. You’re not abandoned. You’re not alone.
Christ gives us the Holy Spirit — God Himself dwelling within us.
And THAT is our hope.
In the middle of this hope, Jesus also gives a challenge.
He says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
In other words, Christian hope isn’t passive. Love isn’t just a feeling.
To love Jesus means to follow Him.
To live differently from the world.
To forgive when it’s hard.
To reject sin.
To love those who don’t deserve it.
And the beautiful thing is this: Jesus never asks us to do that alone.
How does He fulfill His promise: “I will not leave you orphans”?
He gives us the Holy Spirit.
He gives us the Church.
And He gives us something incredibly powerful in the Eucharist.
At every Mass, Jesus keeps His promise to stay with His people. We don’t remember Him from a distance. We encounter Him — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
The same Jesus who comforted the Apostles…
the same Jesus who strengthened Philip…
the same Jesus who brought joy to Samaria…
comes to us on this altar.
That’s why Christians can still have peace in uncertainty. That’s why the saints endured suffering with courage and why the martyrs died without reservation.
Not because life was easy. But because they knew Jesus was with them.
As we celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend, we recognize mothers often teach us this lesson better than anybody else.
A good mother keeps sacrificing, loving, and believing in her children even when it seems nobody else does.
And in that steady love, a mother reflects the heart of Jesus when he says: “I will not leave you orphans.” And honestly, the world desperately needs to hear that message now.
People need to encounter Christians whose lives quietly proclaim: “I know in Whom I have placed my trust.”
So when people ask why you still have peace… why you still trust… why you have hope… like Peter says: Be ready to explain it.
The simplest answer is this:
“I don’t have everything figured out… but I know Jesus is with me.”
So when people look at your life, let them see your peace. Let them see your trust. Let them see your hope.
Because at the end of the day, our hope isn’t in perfect circumstances.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ.