By Bishop Joseph M. Siegel
Bishop’s Corner
We are now three-quarters of the way through our observance of the 2025 Jubilee Year. As you know, the late Pope Francis chose the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,”drawing on the words of St. Paul, “Hope does not disappoint” (Romans 5:5). He envisaged the Jubilee of Hope to serve as a spiritual antidote to the discouragement, pessimism and cynicism that seems to be infecting our society.
The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” defines hope as “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 own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.”
This definition raises the question for us: Are we people of hope?
- Do we have a deep desire for God? Is God more than just a passing thought for us? Do we recognize that our hearts are made for God and God alone?
- Do we trust in Christ’s promises? Our hope is not wishful thinking but a firm trust in God’s ability to save us from our own sin and lift us up to new life.
- Do we rely on the Holy Spirit’s grace? We can try to do a lot of things on our own and then ask God to just bless our efforts. But do we surrender to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and follow in obedience?
Christian hope is a vital force that sustains believers through life’s trials and draws us closer to God. Hope keeps us from discouragement, which seems to constantly be knocking on our door. We see senseless violence, innocent people suffering from cancer and other illnesses, along with injustices and deep divisions in our society. Is it possible in the face of these things to be people of hope and not to bow to the temptation to discouragement?
Hope helps us see suffering as a temporary part of a larger, ultimately joyful plan. I think of a runner who faces the daunting task of running a marathon: the race can only be run one step at a time. Yet each step leads the runner to the finish line. We can’t forget the finish line and what we are ultimately made for.
Hope also energizes us to act. Far from being a passive emotion, hope is an aggressive virtue that spurs us to action. Hope promotes charity. It lifts our gaze off of ourselves and turns our hearts outward toward the needs of others. Perhaps one of the greatest temptations we face in our day is that of comparing ourselves to others, which just creates anxiety and animosity. But hope helps us to desire the best for our neighbor and to recognize that caring for others brings greater joy to us.
Theological hope, a gift from God given at baptism, needs to be distinguished from natural optimism. Christian hope is rooted in God’s unchanging promises. In contrast, optimism is based on human feeling or a positive thought pattern, which can easily fluctuate depending on external circumstances. Hope is directed toward the ultimate good of union with God, while optimism is focused on specific, lesser outcomes like a job promotion or having a good day. Hope is resilient and remains steadfast, even in bleak circumstances, because it looks beyond present difficulties. Optimism can be shattered by negative outcomes or adversity.
Hope, like other virtues, must be intentionally cultivated as it is a resilient act of the will. We can strengthen our hope through prayer when we surrender our anxieties to God and place our trust in His providence. Frequent reception of the Eucharist and Reconciliation nourishes our hope and deepens our union with God. As well, acts of service, mercy and justice make us “tangible signs of hope” for others and build hope within ourselves. Looking to the examples of “saints of hope,” like St. Monica, St. Josephine Bakhita, Pope St. John Paul II and especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, can encourage us in our own journey.
As we move through the rest of this Jubilee Year, may we truly nurture the virtue of hope in ourselves, and as Pilgrims of Hope, let us share our hope and the reason for it with all our brothers and sisters. Hope, rooted in Jesus Christ, does spring eternal.