Pope Francis has called us to be “pilgrims of hope” in this Jubilee Year 2025. What does he mean?
It’s helpful to define the meaning when we use the word hope. Sometimes, I hope for good weather or that my favorite sports team wins a championship. I can hope that I get the job I want or that things generally turn out OK. Hoping for these sorts of things isn’t bad. It is just insufficient.
Hope, as taught by the Church, is both a gift and a virtue: a gift given to us by the Holy Spirit and a habit of life that we live. Rooted in faith, hope is not simply optimism or wishful thinking but a confident expectation of the promises God has made to humanity. “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 strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1817). This hope drives us to pursue good, trust in God’s mercy and endure trials with resilience, knowing that God’s presence is unwavering.
Scripture constantly calls us to a hope that is both firm and active. In Romans 15:13, St. Paul prays, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Hope, therefore, is not static; it empowers us to live joyfully and to endure challenges with courage. This resilience is echoed in Hebrews 10:23, which urges, “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Through hope, Christians find the strength to persevere, trusting that God will ultimately fulfill His promises.
Christ’s life exemplifies this hope. Jesus, fully aware of the suffering He would endure, spoke of a kingdom not of this world (John 18:36) and assured His disciples of eternal life (John 14:2). By His resurrection, Christ confirmed that death is not the end; rather, it is a gateway to eternal life. This resurrection serves as the foundation of Christian hope, showing that even in moments of despair, a greater joy and victory await.
During the Jubilee Year 2025, we are invited to re-anchor our hearts in the hope we have in Jesus. The Church is encouraging us to make local pilgrimages, celebrate the sacraments and pray, all with the intention of becoming beacons of hope to the world.
Having hope is so transformative in our lives that Pope Benedict XVI said that “the one who has hope lives differently.” And now, at this moment, Pope Francis is asking us to be “pilgrims of hope,” giving witness to our belief in God who loves us unconditionally and that by placing our hope in the promises of the world to come, we can lift people out of despair.
Ignited by hope, Pope Francis encourages us to pay special attention to those areas of our society where hope is often lacking: for prisoners by advocating for humane treatment, reintegration and the abolition of the death penalty; compassionate care for the sick; attention to youth; acceptance of migrants; respect for the elderly; and support for the poor. These are essential signs of hope.
As Christians, we believe that we are merely passing through this world. The question before us is: Do I have a hope that reflects this? Or do I settle for placing my hope in passing things? Or, to put it another way, do my actions act as a beacon of hope for this world or for the next?
