The three gifts that Jesus spoke about in Corinthians—faith, hope and love—are all both verbs and nouns. They require activity and are gifts from God so that we can know, love and serve Him better. Hope is one of these gifts, and the one that we are celebrating during the 2025 Jubilee of Hope.
Together with God’s mercy and forgiveness—which also play a part in a Jubilee Year—hope is being contemplated, celebrated and is up for introspection by Catholic people. Pope Francis wrote that “Hope does not disappoint” and “Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one can ever separate us from God’s love.”
But what is hope? It is so easy to assume that each of us already knows all about hope and understands what part hope plays in our lives, but that might not be the case. The Jubilee will carry much more weight for Catholics if we all understand hope better.
In secular society, hope is a desire for something good in the future. “I really hope that it won’t rain Sunday for our cookout.” “We hope that you will be able to join us at our wedding.” “I hope that I didn’t offend you.” These are all examples of the more worldly view of hope.
What is one mystical, Christian and saintly definition of hope? “Hope is an expectation with certainty, that God will do what he has said” (Bible Study Tools). In other words, hope is the certainty that God will keep the promises that He made to us.
So first, what are some of God’s promises?
l “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This promise is dynamic and amazing in its scope and depth. It is not just something that will be good; it is “all things” that will work together for good. Sometimes the true measure of this promise is not known until years pass. When something really terrible happens in a family, they are left reeling and in pain to the extent that they are bereft. And yet God promised that even this will work into something good. Perhaps 10 or 20 years down the road, one of the older family members will realize that this tragedy has somehow led to good, and they are amazed.
l “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). No matter how weary we are, how exhausted, how heavy the cross we bear and how we long for relief, there is no earthly salve for this situation. Only with God can we find the rest that we need. He soothes our souls. He brings us messages of consolation and encouragement through others.
l “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2). What happens when we die? The fear of death is very strong in many people and distracts them from what is much more important. God promised that there is life everlasting, and even more, He promises that you will have a place to go that is especially prepared for you.
l “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus promised that He will be with us. He is present at every Mass in the Eucharist. When we receive Communion, we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus is with us in other ways. He tells us that He has numbered the hairs on our head. The number of hairs on our heads changes daily, so this is not just a one-time thing. He is keeping tabs on us in every possible way, down to this small detail. He also tells us that He knows when the sparrow falls. The sparrow is one of the smallest birds—a sweet little bird that many people enjoy watching at their bird feeders. God is telling us that He not only knows everything about us, He knows everything that is going on around us. There is no detail too small for God.
Now, what do some famous people have to say about hope? Here are some quotes from saints—and even unlikely individuals—regarding hope.
“Hope is the flame that keeps us going, even when life seems unbearable. Trust in God, for He has a plan for us all.” – Saint Ignatius of Loyola
“Do not lose hope, for even in our struggles, God’s love never fails. Trust in Him, and He will carry you through.” – Saint Padre Pio
“Hope is the anchor of the soul.” – Saint Clement of Alexandria
“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people, and ‘hallelujah’ is our song.” – Saint John Paul II
And now on to the “unlikely” sources…
A Harvard Medical School article written by Dr. Adam Stern, M.D., called “Hope: Why It Matters” details how patients who showed hope and expected things to get better often healed much faster.
One interesting fact is that hope is often paired with gratitude. When we are thankful for everything, we are much more aware of how God keeps His promises to us.
For example, in the Disney movie Pollyanna, an orphaned little girl was sent to live with a relative, and because of her amazing spirit of gratitude, she began to win over even the most curmudgeonly townsfolk. In one precious scene, the little girl is seen hanging crystal pendulums all over the house, which she had removed from an expensive chandelier, so that she could see the rainbows reflecting everywhere. People wanted her to be around because she exuded happiness, even in difficult moments she faced.
Zig Ziglar, a well-known motivational speaker who died in 2012—and whose specialty was sales—had this to say: “Look back in forgiveness, forward in hope, down in compassion and up with gratitude.” That just about sums it up.
Willie Nelson said, “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
An unknown author said, “Gratitude will nurture your hopes.”
While hope is a gift from God that helps us to always remember God’s promises, hope can be increased in a number of practical ways: 1) Praying for hope for yourself and others, 2) Deliberately seeking to be grateful for everything that God gives us and 3) Reading the words of hope in the Word of God—the Bible. In these ways, the hope that sustains us, feeds us and comforts us might easily be increased.
Father Cebula is a retired diocesan priest and Karen Nelson is a retired marketing professional, writer and reporter, and a parishioner at SS. Philip and James Parish in Canal Fulton.
