‘Pilgrims of hope’
Dear sisters and brothers, this coming year, 2025, is a jubilee year throughout the entire Church. Typically, jubilee years are celebrated every 25 years, with some jubilee celebrations on special anniversary years. The forthcoming jubilee year will be marked by special events focused on the year’s theme: “Pilgrims of Hope.” Pope Francis will open special doors for the jubilee year in the four main basilicas in Rome and in one prison. The four major basilicas in Rome are St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Peter, and St. John Lateran (also the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome). Undoubtedly, making a pilgrimage to Rome requires a special effort.
Dear sisters and brothers, this coming year, 2025, is a jubilee year throughout the entire Church. Typically, jubilee years are celebrated every 25 years, with some jubilee celebrations on special anniversary years. The forthcoming jubilee year will be marked by special events focused on the year’s theme: “Pilgrims of Hope.” Pope Francis will open special doors for the jubilee year in the four main basilicas in Rome and in one prison. The four major basilicas in Rome are St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Peter, and St. John Lateran (also the Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome). Undoubtedly, making a pilgrimage to Rome requires a special effort.
Here in the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama, we are honored to participate in the jubilee year because it will be a year full of grace for many parishioners across our vast diocese. Even if it is impossible to go to Rome in person, one can participate from afar in the special events which will highlight the Jubilee year.
Two words in the main theme — “pilgrim” and “hope” — stand out to signify an important aspect of our Christian life.
The word “pilgrim” suggests that we are on a journey. Indeed, we are as we course our way back to our Father in Heaven. Being a pilgrim means that we are traveling light without heavy baggage. It signifies that we are headed toward our ultimate destiny of union with God for eternity. Those are some external qualities. Some internal qualities include our own desire to leave everything behind because we have the possibility to obtain something greater. It also suggests that we are reflecting on the progress we are making. Are we headed in the right direction? Have we read the road signs clearly? Are our hearts set on the “greater good” that is before us? We are truly pilgrims who walk with each other to arrive at our ultimate destiny with the Lord.
The word “hope,” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, implies that “we desire the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.” (1817) It suggests that we already have this virtue in our fundamental aspirations to sustain us on our journey to eternal beatitude. It bolsters us and helps us keep our attention on the gifts of eternal life and salvation, won for us by Jesus Christ. (CCC 1818-1821)
Our modern world, filled with cynicism and skepticism, can easily erode hope and keep us distracted on our journey. We can easily become discouraged when we don’t see immediate results of our faith. With that in mind, I urge everyone to take advantage of the special graces offered throughout the year for all pilgrims to keep our eyes fixed on our goal of union with God for eternity, as we make our pilgrim journey to Heaven as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Indeed, our Advent and Christmas seasons are filled with people seeking hope. The people of the Old Testament, especially the Prophet Isaiah, highlighted that the Messiah would indeed come and then lead us to eternity. Mary and Joseph made their way to Bethlehem, and then to Egypt, and returned to Nazareth, to keep hope alive. The Magi would come because they were searching for something more in their lives which they found with the Christ child in the manger.
My prayer is for all of us to be “pilgrims of hope” in our homes, parishes, schools, and in our places of work and leisure. May we deepen our amazing gift of hope that God has left us as we embark on the pilgrimage of life. I wish you all a very blessed Advent and Christmas seasons!
