To Be Renewed in Hope
A year of Jubilee
In the Old Testament—the book of Leviticus, chapter 25—the Lord told the Israelites through Moses that a year of “Jubilee” was to be declared every 50 years. The year was to be a time of rest, even for the land, and a time of economic justice, including the forgiving of debts. I'm not sure how this played out historically, but the Jubilee marker has continued to be recognized in various ways. In 1470 Pope Paul II changed the Jubilee timeline from every 50 years to every 25 years. This year, 2025, is once again a Jubilee.
In the “Bull of Indiction,” the Jubilee's official document of the Catholic church, Pope Francis has declared that the central message of this Jubilee is hope. Hope!
On the title page are the words, “To all who read this letter may hope fill your hearts.”
And on the next page the Pope writes, “For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope.”
You can read the document here on the Vatican's website.
Something that I really appreciated in this document is the Pope's encouragement to see hope in our current world. He writes, "We need to recognize the immense goodness present in our world, lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence."
The immense goodness present in our world—how I appreciated being encouraged to be alert to see the many signs of this goodness. It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with the other. Just last week after watching much news coverage of the terrible fires around Los Angeles, I saw coverage of all the good that is being done. The people preparing and serving meals to fire fighters and evacuees. The people who have lost their homes now helping others. The mountains of donated goods, such as diapers, being organized and distributed. The immense goodness present in our world.
A sign of hope that Pope Francis draws our attention to is the desire for peace that is evident throughout the world, and the presence of those who are actively working for peace. So much of our attention goes to news of violence and war and to those who are obstructing peace, but if we could see just as clearly all the work being done for peace, how encouraged and emboldened we would be.
Another key message of the document is a call to provide and present signs of hope to those who likely are in need of hope. Prisoners; adolescents, students, and young adults; migrants, exiles, displaced persons, and refugees; the elderly, including grandparents; the poor.
Here are twelve suggestions I have, in no particular order, for ways we can cultivate and share hope in the new year:
Claim a symbol of hope for the year ahead so that you are easily reminded of hope. Maybe a ring you'll wear or a picture you'll hang over your desk or a screensaver on your computer.
Spend some time thinking—and maybe writing—about how hope is a gift from God.
Ask God to increase your capacity for hope.
Practice hoping.
Limit scrolling for online news, opinions, and rants.
Follow the advice of Fred Rogers and look for "the helpers” when trouble comes.
Send a handwritten note or postcard that conveys hope to someone you know who is in need of hope. Even a timely text will work but how lovely it is to receive something in the mail. Remember that the act of caring for someone is a sign of hope to that person.
Look for hope in the characters of novels and films and think about the difference the presence of hope makes to the story.
Read the Psalms and underline or copy out the verses that feature hope. Write a couple verses on an index card to carry in your purse or wallet.
Send money to or volunteer for an organization or ministry that serves a group in need of tangible signs of hope.
Tell someone who is going through a hard time that you’re praying for them (and then don’t forget to do it).
Think about how the hope you receive from God can be multiplied and transferred to another person by your actions toward them.
Each of us, writes Pope Francis, “are co-responsible for ensuring that manifold signs of hope bear witness to God's presence in the world.”
[Photo: Four Italian chocolates, minus one already eaten. A gift from a friend. Immense goodness in the world. My well of hope rose.]
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How thankful I am for this!
Thank-you Nancy--quite lovely (and timely) Good to hear your voice even if only on the page!