Pope Francis reflects on ‘accounting for the hope’ that is within us
April 05, 2017
Continuing his series of Wednesday addresses on Christian hope, Pope Francis reflected on a passage from the First Letter of Peter (1 Pt. 3:8-17 during his April 5 general audience.
“The Apostle encourages us to rejoice in Christ’s resurrection from the dead and to sanctify him in our hearts,” the Pope said to those gathered in St. Peter’s Square. “Because we have received the gift of new life in Christ, Saint Peter urges us to ‘account for the hope’ that is in us.”
“We are to show forth that hope by imitating Jesus’ loving concern for the needs of our brothers and sisters, but also by forgiving those who have offended us,” the Pope continued. “Peter tells us that ‘it is better to suffer for doing good,’ for in this way we imitate the Lord’s redemptive suffering and bear witness to God’s infinite love, revealed on the cross and sealed in the resurrection.”
The Pope added:
That love is the basis of all our hope. May our lives radiate the hope that is Christ himself, who dwells within us and acts through us to bring his mercy and peace to our world.
Previous general audiences on hope:
- Isaiah 40: “Comfort, comfort my people…” (December 7)
- Isaiah 52: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings…” (December 14)
- Christ’s birth is the source of hope (December 21)
- Abraham’s hope against all hope (December 28)
- Rachel “is weeping for her children”, but... “there is hope for your descendants” (Jer. 31) (January 4)
- The false hopes of idols (January 11)
- Jonah: hope and prayer (January 18)
- Judith, the Courage of a Woman Restores Hope to a People (January 25)
- The helmet of hope (1 Thess. 5:4-11) (February 1)
- Hope, Source of Mutual Comfort and Peace (1 Thess. 5:12-22) (February 8)
- Hope Does Not Disappoint (February 15)
- For in this hope, we were saved (cf. Rom. 8:19-27) (February 22)
- Lent as a journey of hope (March 1; no audience March 8)
- Rejoice in hope (cf. Rom. 12:9-13) (March 15)
- On Hope Founded in the Word (March 22)
- Hope against All Hope (March 29)
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