The world seems to be moving especially fast these days. Big changes are happening, or big changes are imminent. In the United States, Donald Trump has moved into the White House for the second time. Since then, he has repeatedly made it clear how he intends to act on the international stage: by provocations and questioning existing orders. Austria is still waiting for a coalition government to be established following the victory of the right-wing populist FPÖ party. In Germany, a new Federal Parliament (Bundestag) will be elected in a few days. The election campaign, characterized above all by the issue of immigration following the attacks in Magdeburg, Aschaffenburg, and, more recently, Munich, was quite emotional. For the first time, a joint majority with the far-right AfD party was achieved in the German Bundestag. So many question marks are hanging over the still-young year 2025.
“The current situation in the world scares the hell out of me,” one lady recently commented during a meeting. Many agreed with her. This comment struck a chord. There was a sense of relief that the concern that had not only permeated this woman’s soul had been expressed and given a name.
But as the conversation progressed, we realized it was not just about sharing fears and concerns. Quietly, unobtrusively, HOPE joined our group and “sat at the table.” The result was a conversation characterized by great seriousness. Finally, we concluded that we are not on shaky ground without support. Despite all the uncertainty, we have good reason to be confident about the future.
Isn’t it interesting? Hope is an attitude that appears just when it is most needed. It is similar to light, which becomes stronger and more precise when surrounded by darkness.
“Pilgrims of Hope” is Pope Francis’s motto for the Holy Year celebrated by the Catholic Church. It seems to me that it resonates very well in our times. Pilgrimage is an active attitude. It means setting out on a journey in search of something. Hope is not there in the end; it has to be sought and earned again and again. The call to be a pilgrim of hope conveys the message that setting out on a journey is worthwhile.
Hope should not be understood as trivial. It does not mean putting aside justified concerns and closing one’s eyes to reality. Likewise, hope does not mean “putting one’s hands in one’s pockets.” On the contrary, in his statements at the beginning of the Holy Year, the Pope made it clear that the attitude of hope also has a political dimension. It is about working for a new vision for people and the whole Earth on both a large and a small scale.
An example is the Pope’s call for debt cancellation: “I urge the international community to take steps to cancel the external debt, recognizing the existence of an ecological debt between North and South” (Message for the World Day of Peace on January 1, 2025). Pope Francis’ incessant appeals for peace in the world can also be understood as an expression of active hope.
For all these reasons, I am happy to leave as a pilgrim of hope and explorer of new beginnings. Will you come with me?
P. Frank Riedel, Munich
Secular Institute of the Schoenstatt Fathers
Source: basis-online.net
