Today's readings, and in particular our gospel passage from John, together evoke a strong tone of hope. While not the greatest of the theological virtues (according to Paul), hope can in no small way inspire in us a sort of spiritual strength. I think of hope as the acknowledgement that what we truly desire - those deepest and most sincere desires - may just come to pass; or put another way, that what we desire may just align with God's will. At the same time, hope may seem a more 'shaky' virtue when compared to faith or love. The act of hoping might make one feel naive, passive, or foolish. For instance, I hoped this thing would come to pass, but it did not. This can cause one to question the very validity of hope at all and may even cause us to lose faith.

Considering all the above, I still come down on the side of hope, and for me, Peter is the companion of Jesus who best exemplifies hope as anything but a fruitless virtue or some form of foolish naivete. Take, for example, today's reading from John's gospel. Peter's entrance at the end of it is sudden, perhaps easily missed, and even comical. Peter does not introduce himself in this encounter with Jesus. He doesn't have the chance. Jesus sees him, announces to him Peter's own name (then, Simon), and then changes it! For the follower of Jesus, though, isn't this precisely what we yearn for? For Jesus to know us, acknowledge us, and call us by name? If it happened to Peter who didn't even know Jesus, perhaps it could happen to us. Fast forward to the final chapter of John's gospel when Peter and the disciples realize it is Jesus on the shore as they fish. Despite Peter's betrayal of Jesus in his very hour of need, Jesus offers redemption. If that happened for Peter, perhaps that could happen for us. 

In our lives that are filled with any manner of challenge, Jesus gives us the gift of hope. Hope keeps us standing when we feel like crumbling. Hope offers vision to see what is possible. And as for Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton - whose own hope resulted in the robust commitment to Catholic education that continues to this day and whose memorial we celebrate today - when combined with faith and love, hope can enable us to show God's love in the world in ways no one could imagine. So, let us, the people of God, be hopeful!