Archbishop Tony Ireland’s 2026 Easter message: Jesus Christ our Hope

At Easter, Christians (and others) are invited to reflect on a simple searching injunction posed in the First Letter of St Peter: “always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have.”

It is a timely proposition. We are living through a period marked by war, death and dislocation in the Middle East and other places. The human cost is immense and ongoing. At home, many people are feeling the steady pressure of rising living expenses, uncertainty, and the strain that comes with it. These realities shape the way people look at the world and at the future.

In this context, hope can seem fragile or out of reach. Yet Easter points to a form of hope that is not dependent on circumstances alone. For Christians, hope is grounded in the person of Jesus Christ and in the belief that his life, death and resurrection continue to speak into every age.

To offer a reason for hope is not about slogans or easy answers. It is given in the way people live: in patience, in generosity, in care for neighbours, and in a willingness to remain engaged with the world rather than withdraw from it. It is seen in those who continue to work for peace, who support those in need, and who carry responsibility with integrity.

Easter invites us, quietly, to consider what sustains us and what we offer to others. The hope of which St Peter speaks is not abstract. It is something lived, shared, and made visible in the ordinary decisions of each day.

May the blessings of Easter renew your hope.

Most Rev. Anthony J. Ireland

Archbishop of Hobart