Last weekend during Mass, one of my children leaned over and asked me what a Christian was.  Not wanting to talk much during Mass, (yes, the sisters at my grade school did a great job instilling that in me) I quickly answered that a Christian is someone who believes in Jesus.  Then Mass went on.  Upon further reflection, I realized that I did not handle that well.  So, that evening, I revisited it with him.  I told him that a Christian is someone who follows after Christ.  And the reason we follow after Christ is that we believe God became one of us, and that through His death and resurrection we have hope that one day every tear will be wiped away and that all the things that are bad and hurtful are no longer a reality for anyone.  With that, he looked up at me, sighed deeply and said, “Oh, I hope so.”

As we enter into a new liturgical church year with the Gospel of Luke highlighted, and as we embark on the start of our Advent season, those words are at the focus of our time, Oh, I hope so…    It is the same sentiment that the prophet Jeremiah must have felt when he was imprisoned and destruction and chaos ensued for Judah. In the midst of such turmoil and seeming hopelessness, he could still find hope in God’s promise: “The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah.”  Oh, I hope so…  It is the same sentiment Paul gives to the people in Thessalonica in our second reading, reminding them of God’s promise in Christ and what impact that should have on how they conduct themselves and live their lives.

Oh, I hope so…  And, it is the same sentiment that Luke is getting across in this passage close to the end of his Gospel.  It is very similar to the reading we heard last week from the Gospel of Mark.  This is part of Luke’s apocalyptic passage.   It is striking that we have such a similar reading on the Feast of Christ the King last week and one that prepares us for Advent and the coming of the baby Jesus this week. Luke stresses maybe a bit more that when Christ comes in His glory, it will be a great day to look forward to and be confident about: “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” What hope this passage provided for the early followers of Christ and for us.

Perhaps at the start of this Advent season, that is where we begin: getting in touch with what we hope for and being confident that it will come to pass.  Let us step back and think about why we do follow Christ – a humble baby, a broken crucified man, and a glorious king - and what difference it makes in our lives right now.  Bringing all our hopes together as one, let us raise our heads, confident in God’s promise in Christ, sigh deeply and proclaim together this Advent season, Oh, I hope so.