Every 25 years, the Catholic Church proclaims a jubilee year. The theme of the 2025-26 jubilee year proclaimed by the late Pope Francis is Pilgrims of Hope:  “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.” 

Hope, in Brief

All three theological virtues—faith, hope, and charity—are mutually dependent on each other.  They are distinct and yet cannot exist without the other.  Imagine faith without charity, or hope without faith!  

Grounding hope in God is important, since we can ‘hope’ for all sorts of things.  I hope the Dodgers win the World Series in 2025; I hope I don’t get sick next week; the list could go on indefinitely.  To use Scholastic language, the ultimate object (goal) is God.  That is, even when there are more immediate things we hope for, or love, the final end of that is still directed to God.  

Hope does not mean we get a free pass on suffering; Jesus promised His disciples a share in His cross.  Suffering is, unfortunately, a given in fallen world—regardless of creed.  Jesus’ cross and resurrection transformed suffering and death.  He injected meaning into suffering; He conquered death and thus gave us reason to hope.  Jesus’ resurrection was incredible and quite literally earth-shattering.  He not only came to life again, but transformed life itself.  

This is what the Church proclaims at Easter!  Look at the hope Jesus gave us—promised us—for those who come to Him!  Why would we go anywhere else, away from Him Who has the words of eternal life?  

Hope in the Lives of the Saints

One of my favorite stories of hope is St. John Paul II.  Soon after getting elected pope in 1978, he traveled to his native Poland.  The country was still under the grip of Soviet Russia, and the Communists were no friends of the Catholic Church.  They had blocked a visit of Pope Paul VI in 1966; they tried to convince John Paul II to feign illness and cancel his trip.  History verifies the motive of the Communist party in Poland: fear.  In a nation of 35 million people, about 11 million went to one of the pope’s events.  That’s nearly one third of the country!  

John Paul II proclaimed in Warsaw that the history of Poland could not be separated from Christ.  That man could not be understood except in Christ.  Without saying so directly, John Paul II shoved back against the Communist party, rejecting their occupation of Poland.  He rejected the communist anthropology and asked for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the land.  In an inspired way, the successor of Peter gave the Poles exactly the advice that Peter himself gave: “always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).  John Paul II pointed the gaze of his countrymen past fear and to Christ, the reason for their hope.

Those born after the Cold War ended do not have a great frame of reference for the political tension of the era.  What could one man do against the Soviet juggernaut?  John Paul II had no army.  He preached a Christ-centered hope.  Not an end to suffering, not outright political rebellion, and not armed conflict.  John Paul II showed another aspect to hope on that first visit to Poland: it’s contagious.  

During the jubilee year, make sure to take advantage of the graces that the Church has made available.  Visit a local pilgrimage site, do the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and never lose hope. 

Act of Hope
O Lord God, I hope by your grace for the pardon of all my sins and after life here to gain eternal happiness because you have promised it, who are infinitely powerful, faithful, kind, and merciful.  In this hope I intend to live and die.
Amen.