The Pope noted that faith allows us to experience time “in a different way than the mentality of the world.” – Belief in the incarnate God, Jesus Christ, born of the Mother of God, gives a new style of feeling time and life. I will sum it up in two words: gratitude and hope, Francis said.
The Holy Father noted that “worldly gratitude, worldly hope are obvious – they lack the fundamental dimension, which is the relationship with the other and with others, with God and with brothers and sisters.”
“Pilgrims of Hope”
The Pope noted that the Church learns gratitude from its mother. He also learns hope from her, because “Mary was always full of love, full of grace, and that's why she is filled with trust and hope.” Francis explained that “the hope of Mary and the Church is not optimism, it is something else – it is faith in a God who is faithful to his promises” and this faith “takes the form of hope in the dimension of time” on the way.” – and this will be the theme Anniversary 2025: “Pilgrims of hope” – emphasized the Holy Father.
Speaking about preparations for the Holy Year, the Pope asked if Rome would become a “city of hope”. It is about the “testimony of church and civil society”, which “is based not so much on events, but on the way of life, the peculiarities of ethical and spiritual coexistence”. – So, the question can be formulated as follows: are we working, each in our own field, so that this city is a sign of hope for its residents and visitors? Francis was surprised. And he explained that “a city that is more welcoming to its residents is also friendlier to everyone.”
The Pope also emphasized that the coming year before the Jubilee will be dedicated to prayer. – And is it possible to have a better teacher than our holy mother? Let's go to his school: learn from him to live every day, every moment, in every activity with an inward gaze on Jesus. Joy and sorrow, satisfaction and problems. All in the presence and grace of Jesus, the Lord. All with gratitude and hope, Francis concluded.
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