Happy New Year to all and welcome to the first edition of ‘In the Word’ for 2025.
We are embarking on a big year, with the 150th anniversary in September of the SVD’s Foundation by St Arnold Janssen, under the theme of Witnessing to the Light, and the Jubilee of Hope being celebrated across the Universal Church.
I think the two Jubilees have much in common, because St Arnold’s decision to start a new missionary society in the troubled times in Europe in the late 1800s and against much opposition, was certainly an endeavour built on Hope, the Hope of Jesus Christ.
An Ordinary Jubilee takes place in the Church every 25 years. Pope Francis ushered in the 2025 Jubilee of Hope on Christmas Eve when he opened the Holy Door at St Peter’s Basilica. The Jubilee of Hope will conclude with the closing of the same Holy Door on January 6, 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany.
According to Vatican Media, the Holy Door is deemed ‘Holy’ since it calls all those who enter through it to walk in holiness of life.
In the footsteps of the Pope, during the singing of the Jubilee hymn, representatives of the entire People of God crossed its threshold, as a prelude to the countless pilgrims of hope from every country and language who will visit St Peter’s Basilica during the Holy Year.
In a move typical of Pope Francis, a couple of days later, he opened a Holy Door in a Roman prison, a gesture of hope that shows his ongoing closeness to detainees.
But don’t despair if you can’t get to St Peter’s Basilica this year to pass through the Holy Door and take part in Mass during the Holy Year, local cathedrals and other appointed places will also have Holy Doors to which people can make a pilgrimage closer to home.
And even beyond that, we can all becomes pilgrims of Hope by going out to those around us who are in need of the Hope of Jesus Christ. A visit to the elderly or lonely, a kind word to somebody who is suffering, a shared meal – all of these things can be pilgrimages of Hope which happen in our hearts.
As he opened the Holy Door at St Peter’s Pope Francis invited us all to make that pilgrimage of the heart this year.
“Dear sister, dear brother, on this night, the ‘holy door’ of God’s heart lies open before you. Jesus, God-with-us, is born for you, for us, for every man and woman. With him, joy flourishes; with Him, life changes; with Him, hope does not disappoint,” he said.
The Holy Father invited us to pray, to prepare ourselves throughout this year, so that this Jubilee may “strengthen us in our faith, helping us to recognise the Risen Christ in the midst of our lives, transforming us into pilgrims of Christian hope”.
May this year of Jubilees open our hearts to be people of Hope and Witnesses to the Light.