Pope Francis: A Shepherd of Hope

The image of Pope Francis walking alone in St. Peter’s Square during the extraordinary moment of prayer at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 27, 2020, generated ripples of hope in the midst of our fears and despair. He brought a comforting sense of unity to all of us who lost family, friends and loved ones during the pandemic. He describes this experience in his recently published autobiography, entitled Hope, where he states:

“I walked through an empty St. Peter’s Square, resplendent with rain in the Statio Orbis, to respond to the COVID pandemic with the strength of prayer, compassion and tenderness…. I walked alone and in my heart I carried the loneliness of all, I could feel their footsteps in mine, their feet in my shoes, I could say. In that silence I felt millions of pleas and a universal need for hope resounding. The ‘evening’ (Mk 4:35) had come, the time of the storm, the moment to unmask false and superfluous securities, and all together we found ourselves clinging like an anchor to that Christ capable of overcoming fear, of offering support…”

A hope that shakes

He is a pope of hope, who motivates us to serve even in the midst of our discomfort:

“Today our world is experiencing a tragic famine of hope. How much pain surrounds us, how much emptiness, how much inconsolable mourning! Let us radiate hope, and the Lord will open new paths as we move forward into the future” (Pope Francis, Pentecost Sunday, 2020).

At the height of the pandemic, he called on world leaders to make way for “a transformation, to rethink our way of life and our economic and social systems, which are widening the gap between rich and poor on the basis of an unjust distribution of resources”(Pope Francis, Message to the 75th UN General Assembly, September 20, 2020). His prophetic voice urges the Church to be relevant, inviting all to “work courageously so that hope may be translated into peace for the world,” assuring the poor of the hope of solidarity:

“The silent cry of so many poor men, women and children should find the people of God at the forefront, always and everywhere, in efforts to give them a voice, protect and support them…” (World Day of the Poor, 2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragilities of our governments and institutions. The shortcomings of our healthcare system were exposed: the lack of hospitals and medical personnel, the need to promote public health and the right to basic medical care, access to COVID vaccines and, above all, the absence of a public health system designed to serve the people. The widespread corruption during the pandemic, in which government officials and businessmen profited from vaccines and other COVID-related resources, was absolutely unacceptable.

Undeniably, the coronavirus affected everyone. Community presence was replaced by personal isolation, a situation that put even family spaces to the test. In the face of this, Pope Francis expresses his solidarity, assuring us of his empathy: “I carry in my heart all the families, especially those who have a sick loved one or who have lived through mourning because of the coronavirus…”

Hope in Jesus

Pope Francis expresses his hope in Jesus on the cross: “I kiss the base of the Crucifix and it gives me hope, it always gives me hope. I ask the Lord to ward off evil with his hand and, at the same time, the grace and creativity to know how to open new forms of fraternity and solidarity, even in this context unknown to us. Because suddenly, in me and in the whole Church, the urgency of prayer was joined to that of service. In a special way to the most fragile and needy people: the destitute, the prisoners, the hospitalized, the elderly…” (Hope, 269).

He brings hope to us all, even in the midst of his own personal sufferings. His pastoral work is anchored in his deep faith:

“In the risen Jesus, life conquered death. This Easter faith nourishes our hope. I would like to share it with you tonight. It is the hope for a better time, when we can be better, finally freed from evil and this pandemic. It is a hope. Hope does not disappoint. It is not an illusion, it is a hope…” (Pope Francis, Holy Week Message, 2020).

Jubilee of hope

Your declaration of the Jubilee Year 2025 encapsulates the hope you have promoted during our struggles against COVID-19 and its aftermath. Through the Jubilee celebration, it reminds us to persevere in hope in the midst of wars and political uncertainties. This year is not only about the Jubilee of Jubilees and its commemorative events. It also emphasizes the social dimension of the celebration.

Pope Francis defines the “Jubilee call” as a way to “confront the current state of injustice and inequality, reminding us that the goods of the earth are not destined for a privileged few, but for all”(Pope Francis, World Day of Peace 2025 Message). Thus, the cancellation of the foreign debt of impoverished nations becomes an important call to solidarity, embraced by communities of faith. Pope Francis reinforces this call:

“In the spirit of this Jubilee Year, I urge the international community to work for the cancellation of the foreign debt, in recognition of the ecological debt existing between the North and the South of the world. It is an appeal for solidarity, but above all for justice” (World Day of Peace 2025 Message).

Hope is at the heart of Pope Francis; he is, without a doubt, a shepherd of hope.

Tagoy Jakosalem, OAR