John Sentamu: Never give up hope, and never forget the true power of faith and forgiveness

Good Friday must have been a difficult time for the disciples as they saw their leader brutally killed in his prime. But it wasn't just the death of their leader, or the loss of a close friend – it was the evaporation of their hope for a new world order, the hope for a life free from oppression. For the disciples it seemed that their dream, everything they had come to believe in, had been taken away from them.

But the Easter story didn't end there. Jesus went to Hell, came back, and rose from the dead conquering sin and death! Hallelujah!

I don't know what you hope for in your own life. Maybe it is for good health and well-being. Maybe it is that your family will be kept safe. Maybe you hope you'll win the Lottery, ending the debt trap and boring job. Maybe you hope that your local football team will win the cup this season!

Actually the analogy of a struggling football team is not such a bad example for what hope can mean to us. I firmly believe that experiencing disappointment and hurt has the potential of leading us to appreciate more the good times when they come.

Dejection and defeat may lead us to enjoy the victory even more.

Success becomes even sweeter when we don't take it for granted. Possibly that's why I support York City. It's true most seasons we don't win anything, but there is always the hope that in the next season we might do it! I live in hope! I am not an optimist, but a prisoner of hope.

In the Easter story, there is a battle between good and evil. Life and death. Love and hate. Hope and despair. We are simply fortunate that we already know the final result!

Knowing that God was victorious means we should be living in confidence, celebrating the glory in our daily lives. When we wake up in the morning we ought to get up in the hope of new opportunities.

We have some fantastic young people in Yorkshire. For some reason they seem able to look at life as a series of new challenges and

opportunities. They seem to know that if they engage and participate they can make a difference. Young people have a fresh take and a clearer outlook on life than many of the adults I know, myself

included!

We need to let young people live the hope within them, especially in times of difficulty. In the face of defeat and obscurity I find that young people often have an unquenchable enthusiasm to stand up and not throw in the towel.

That is one of the reasons I am inviting a number of young people from across the North of England later this month to discuss the issues that this country faces as we approach a General Election. We need to listen to what young people have to say. Gone are the days when young people were expected to be seen and not heard.

We also need to nourish and encourage our young people in their daily lives. Last year, I set up a Youth Trust to enable young people to be supported in the work they are doing in our local communities, particularly those living in the most deprived areas.

The Easter story allows all people, whether they are young or old, the opportunity to say they are sorry for the way they have behaved in the past without us passing judgment on their motives for wanting forgiveness. Everyone needs forgiveness. Every person knows how that manifests itself deep down inside, but we all need a fresh start. Because of God's love for His world, Jesus rose again. We can all experience resurrection when we accept God's invitation in Jesus Christ to participate in the life of God.

As in previous years, tomorrow I will be baptising people on the steps of the Minster – and as always it will be a wonderful time! Baptism is not just about saying "I'm sorry for how I've been in the past", it is also an opportunity to say "I'm going to be different in the future – so help me God". We have a loving and forgiving God. A transforming God. A God of miracles. A God of second chances. Perhaps if you feel that you need that forgiveness, why not come down to the Minster tomorrow at 2.30pm and see what it is all about!

Whatever we do, we should never give up hope.

Dr John Sentamu is the Archbishop of York.