Hope does not disappoint

As we enter a new year, we enter into a renewed spirit of hope. Reflecting on the words of St. Paul the apostle while addressing the Christians in Rome, we are reminded that the deeper our faith, the more difficult it is for hope to be overthrown and turned into disappointment.

Romans 5:5 teaches us that the grace which is given to us through the Holy Spirit enables us to give love and receive love in return. The world today has been filled with so much anger and hatred and much of what we know as a fast-paced life now includes artificial intelligence that can either make the world better or worse.

The story of Christmas has been a constant reminder for Christians around the world of the love that came to save mankind. This humble story of the Messiah started with a simple family who had no room at the inn yet significantly changed the course of history forever. Today, this most basic unit of the family is constantly under attack, which makes it difficult for the next generation to understand what it really means to be human and a man for others.

Pope Francis ushered in the new year with a message that called on everyone to reject abortion and develop a new commitment to protect and respect life from the moment of conception to death. The pope’s homily for this new year’s liturgical celebration also included the lives of the suffering, the poor, the elderly, the lonely and the dying.

Respect for the dignity of human life has been exemplified by the birth of Jesus when a young couple managed to escape persecution from a king who lost all his majesty because he could not accept that Jesus would one day be known as the King of the Jews – a title he proudly held for decades.

Greed and hatred still envelopes our world today and respect for human life needs a better focus as each and every individual deserves to cherish and look at his or her own life with hope for the future. In the spirit of anticipation in this jubilee year, we have been called to be “pilgrims of hope” as this touches the very heart of the gospel.

“Kindness is not a diplomatic strategy” nor “a set of rules to ensure social harmony or to obtain other advantages” but rather, “a form of love that opens hearts to acceptance and helps us all to become more humble.”

This was Pope Francis’ message in a BBC podcast between Christmas and the New Year. We are also called to pay attention to an endangered humanity where we all must live in harmony among each other, knowing that the goods of the earth are not meant only for a privileged few but for everyone. Pope Francis has also reminded us that foreign debt has become a means of control, where certain governments and private financial institutions of richer countries unscrupulously exploit the human and natural  resources of poorer countries in order to satisfy their own markets.

In this journey of hope, the pope encourages all of us to take to heart many changes that are much needed in understanding that God hears the plea of the poor and that He is immensely rich in mercy. Hope is overflowing in generosity, which includes our ability to forgive in order to heal hearts and free us from bondage. Most of all, and for the sake of our children, we need to do our part to eradicate the hopelessness they feel with regard to their future, for this is a gift meant for them to pave new paths for peace.

In a time when nations are marked by wars, our hope should remain focused on our desired goal of peace. The Holy Father said that wars, social injustices and the many forms of violence we are exposed to every day should not dishearten us nor draw us toward skepticism and discouragement.

This is our journey of hope and together with faith and charity, we pray that this year brings us peace, knowing fully that hope does not disappoint. Wishing everyone a Blessed New Year!