Matt GaspersApril 2024 Edition Now Available — Preview HERE
April 1, 2024
Easter Monday
Dear Friends in Christ,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His great mercy hath regenerated us unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3).
Thus wrote St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, to the early Christians who were “dispersed” throughout Asia Minor (1 Pet. 1:1) and suffering various trials, including persecution “for the Name of Christ” (1 Pet. 4:14). To comfort them in their afflictions, he reminded them of their “inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven,” and that they were “kept by faith unto salvation” (1 Pet. 1:4-5).
St. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, likewise encouraged the early Church through his epistles, explaining that “tribulation worketh patience; and patience, trial; and trial, hope. And hope confoundeth not: because the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost Who is given to us” (Rom. 5:3-5). And like St. Peter, he exhorted the faithful to joyfully await “the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:13), Who is “our hope” (1 Tim. 1:1).
Those who remember their Baltimore Catechism will recall that hope is “the virtue by which we firmly trust that God, Who is all-powerful and faithful to His promises, will in His mercy give us eternal happiness and the means to obtain it.” Whereas faith enables us to believe in God and all He has revealed, hope enables us to trust in Him as our loving Father Who makes “all things work together unto good” for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). This is the hope that Christ died and rose again to give us.
The virtue of hope is so important for our spiritual lives, especially in the face of hardships and persecution. When we are tempted to feel discouraged or perhaps even to despair, we must renew our hope in God, as we do at the beginning of the Traditional Latin Mass (Prayers at the Foot of the Altar): “Why art thou sad, O my soul? And why dost thou disquiet me? Hope in God, for I will still give praise to Him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God” (Ps. 42:5-6). “Firm hope in Him,” we read in Divine Intimacy, “will make us strong, courageous, and generous; it will be the lever of our life” (Meditation #247).
Here at Catholic Family News, we rejoice in the hope that Christ our Risen Lord has given us — not only the hope of eternal life in Heaven, but also hope for the “complete restoration” of His Church in our times (Our Lady of Good Success) and the triumph of His Mother’s Immaculate Heart (Our Lady of Fatima). We continue to share this hope with as many souls as possible through our monthly paper, our website, and our podcasts. Please help us continue this important work by subscribing or renewing your subscription today and encouraging your family and friends to do likewise. Purchasing gift subscriptions is another great way to spread the Faith and support the mission of CFN.
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing: that you may abound in hope and in the power of the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:13).
Sincerely in Christ Crucified and Risen,
Matt Gaspers
Managing Editor
Support CFN by purchasing from Sophia Institute Press USING THIS LINK
Brian Mershon
Murray Rundus
