In the Book of Revelation, Our Lord proclaims the following: “Behold, I make all things new.” In the midst of a world that is groaning under the weight of sin and sadness, these are words that we need to hear more than ever!

For us as Catholics, Easter is not just one day; it’s not even merely the Octave of Easter (the eight days from Easter Sunday to Divine Mercy Sunday, which we celebrate in the liturgy as one big continuous solemnity).

No, it is a seven-week celebration in our Church! The great liturgical season of Easter begins at the Easter Vigil and ends on Pentecost Sunday, in which we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

In a world that seems hopeless, we need to see the Easter season in which we find ourselves as one of hope!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church #1817 tells us: “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. ‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. The Holy Spirit . . . he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.’ ”

Have we made progress in the virtue of hope, recognizing in all things that God is God, we are not, and thank God for that, relying not on ourselves and in our own merits, but in the grace of God? Have we recognized that God is in charge, not us? Do we see that all of history is a moment of grace, that free and undeserved gift of God, and that God is the victor?

Yes, there are problems and difficulties in our world. We would be fools if we did not recognize them. We would be liars if we did not acknowledge them. And yet, the light of Christ has conquered. Things will be better.  The world has fallen, but it is redeemed. Jesus Christ is the King and Victor of all of history — the past, the present, and the future. Hope is that virtue that teaches us this, and hope is the theological virtue we need the most.

Easter reminds us of this fact. Into a darkened church at the great vigil of Easter, the paschal candle was carried as the sole light. That paschal candle represents Jesus Christ, the light of the world, He who has conquered sin and death.

Notice that the paschal candle is lit in every church throughout the Easter season — the light of Christ still burns bright!

Pray for a growth in the virtue of hope and loving trust in the Lord Jesus!