Bp. McKnight: Embracing hope in the Jubilee Year
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The Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope invites all of us into a season of renewal, a time to embrace the hope that Christ offers us — especially with the challenges we face in our world today.
In many ways, this Jubilee Year could not come at a better time. Some feel overwhelmed by the weight of their personal problems — and still others by the world’s problems — and it can be easy to lose sight of the hope that lies at the heart of our faith.
Yet, as we embark together as pilgrims of hope, we know that the troubles of life will not simply disappear because of our faith.
Rather, our observance of this special year is yet another call from God to look beyond our immediate circumstances and to place our trust in the unshakable hope that comes from him.
It is an invitation to turn our hearts to Christ as he walks with us through the trials of life and offers us the strength to persevere with courage and love.
This year of Jubilee invites us to rediscover a sense of our personal calling from God to our own vocation in this life.
Though we are different in our unique calls from God, each one of us shares the same common realities for all who have been created and redeemed by him.
We all have been called to life, and we all have been invited to share in the graces won for us by his son.
We are given the gift of a firm grounding of faith which provides stability and our purpose in life; we have been given the gift of a lively hope, which goes beyond a mere optimism about the future being better, but a present reality which allows us to carry us through the present moments of difficulty; and we have been given the grace to respond in charity to those around us, living the divine life.
This year will call us to live differently — to be a light in the darkness, to seek peace in times of conflict, to show compassion to those who are suffering, and to speak the truth in love.
Hope challenges us to rise above the fears, anxieties, and doubts that threaten to shake us from the path of living as stewards of God’s gifts and fulfilling our own purpose in life.
In this Year of Jubilee, I invite you to be a hope-bearer in your family, in your community, in your parish, in our diocese and in every human interaction.
Let us be leaders in how we respond to the division and despair in our society, leading with acts of kindness, patience and understanding.
Let us remember that true hope does not come from a world that is perfect, but from a Savior who is always with us, guiding us and filling us with peace.
The year of hope is a reminder that, no matter how dark some days may seem, God is always working in our lives and in the world. He is making all things new, restoring what is broken, and drawing us ever closer to himself.
May the light of Christ shine brightly in our hearts through this year of Jubilee, illuminating the path before us.
And may we, in turn, share that light with all those we encounter.
May God bless you.
Visit diojeffcity.org/jubilee-year to find out more about how we are celebrating the Jubilee in the Diocese of Jefferson City.
