Christian hope is not just personal, but also communitarian, affirmed Pope Francis during the General Audience of February 8, 2017.
Continuing his catecheses on Christian hope, the Pope meditated on how Saint Paul frequently encourages the members of the early Church to sustain one another in hope.
Despite acknowledging that it may be difficult, he invited all faithful to be living signs of hope for entire human family.
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Speaker:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on Christian hope, we have seen that the virtue of hope is rooted in the Lord’s resurrection and its promise of our own. Christian hope is intensely personal yet also communitarian. Saint Paul frequently encourages the members of the early Church to sustain one another in hope, through mutual prayer and practical concern for those in need. This support must be given especially to the poor, the weak in faith, the suffering and those tempted to despair. Christian hope, necessarily linked to charity, needs to be “embodied” in a community of mutual support and loving concern. That body is the Church and its soul is the Holy Spirit. Our witness of hope in Christ’s promises is meant to expand and enrich the life of society as a whole. We know that, especially in times of darkness and difficulty, hope is no easy virtue. Yet the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts teaches us to trust in the Lord’s provident care and to strive constantly, in our communities, to be living signs of hope for the entire human family.
Speaker:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Ireland and the United States of America. Upon you and your families, I cordially invoke an abundance of joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!
[Original text: English]
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