A phrase of Pope Francis makes us think and reflect on what it can mean to speak again of hope: “Everyone hopes. In the heart of every person there nestles hope as a desire and expectation of the good, even in ignorance of what tomorrow will bring”, a phrase taken from the Bull of Convocation for the Jubilee of Hope (Spes non confundit, 1). These words may even remind us that something similar is said about happiness. Since the Greek philosophers it is often said that everyone wants to be happy, but they disagree or do not quite know what true happiness is. It happens that in all these things we descend to the deepest desires of the human heart, where philosophy and theology seem to be the only ones capable of giving a satisfactory answer in this respect. However, what we cannot doubt is how opportune it is to take these words to think about ourselves, about others and especially about our world, which is dissatisfied with not understanding what can really be expected.
With this very brief reflection we would like to open a space, or rather, “prepare the engines” for the next Jubilee, which offers us the opportunity to rethink our hopes and, why not, strengthen our great hope, that which comes from faith and love. Here are 5 texts of the Bull of Convocation mentioned above so that you can enter little by little into the “climate” of the Jubilee:
“Everyone hopes. In the heart of every person nestles hope as a desire and expectation of the good, even in ignorance of what tomorrow will bring. However, the unpredictability of the future often gives rise to conflicting feelings: from confidence to fear, from serenity to discouragement, from certainty to doubt. We often meet people who are discouraged, who look to the future with skepticism and pessimism, as if nothing could offer them happiness. May the Jubilee be for everyone an occasion to rekindle hope. The Word of God helps us to find its reasons. Let us allow ourselves to be guided by what the Apostle Paul wrote precisely to the Christians of Rome” (no. 1).
“Hope is indeed born of love and is founded on the love that flows from the Heart of Jesus pierced on the cross: “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more now that we are reconciled, we shall be saved by his life”(Rom 5:10). And his life is manifested in our life of faith, which begins with Baptism; it develops in docility to God’s grace and is therefore animated by hope, which is always renewed and made unshakable by the action of the Holy Spirit” (no. 3).
“In addition to reaching for the hope that God’s grace gives us, we are also called to rediscover it in the signs of the times that the Lord offers us. As the Second Vatican Council affirms, “it is the constant duty of the Church to scrutinize the signs of the times and to interpret them in the light of the Gospel, so that, adapting herself to each generation, the Church can respond to the perennial questions of humanity about the meaning of the present life and of the life to come and about the mutual relationship between the two”. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to all the good in the world so as not to fall into the temptation of considering ourselves overcome by evil and violence. In this sense, the signs of the times, which contain the yearning of the human heart in need of God’s saving presence, need to be transformed into signs of hope” (no. 7).
“May the first sign of hope translate into peace for the world, which is once again immersed in the tragedy of war. Humanity, forgetful of the dramas of the past, is subjected to a new and difficult test when it sees many populations oppressed by the brutality of violence. What else is left for these people that they have not already suffered? How is it possible that their desperate cry for help does not drive the leaders of nations to put an end to the numerous regional conflicts, aware of the consequences that may ensue at the global level? Is it too much to dream that the weapons will fall silent and stop causing destruction and death? Let the Jubilee remind us that those who “work for peace” can be “called children of God”(Mt 5:9). The demand for peace challenges us all and urges the implementation of concrete projects. Let there be no lack of diplomatic commitment to courageously and creatively build negotiation spaces aimed at lasting peace” (No. 8).
“As we approach the Jubilee, let us turn to Sacred Scripture and feel these words addressed to us: ‘We who come to him are powerfully encouraged to cling to the hope that is offered to us. This hope that we have is like an anchor of the soul, solid and firm, penetrating beyond the veil, where Jesus entered for us as a forerunner”(Heb. 6:18-20). It is a strong invitation to never lose the hope that has been given to us, to embrace it by finding refuge in God” (no. 25).
Fr. Bruno N. D’Andrea OAR
Ministerium Sapientiae Team