Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
58th World Day of Peace, "Forgive us our trespasses, grant us Your peace"
January is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus
Reading from the Rule of Saint Benedict for January: The Prologue of the Holy Rule
May the peoples praise You, O God.
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD,
MARY, QUEEN OF HEARTS,
MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,
MARY, QUEEN OF FORGIVENESS,
MARY, MERCIFUL MOTHER,
SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL,
PRAY FOR US.
JESUS, PRINCE OF PEACE,
JESUS, PRINCE OF HOPE,
JESUS, PRINCE OF FORGIVENESS,
JESUS, PRINCE OF MERCY,
JESUS, PRINCE OF RECONCILIATION,
HAVE MERCY ON US.
Happy New Year, and welcome to the Jubilee Year 2025, may we be "Pilgrims of Hope." Jesus, Prince of Hope, have mercy on us. Holy Mother of God, Queen of Hope, pray for us.
We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts in exclusively human and visible means, nor rests in any visible end. He who hopes in God trusts God, Whom he never sees, to bring him to the possession of things that are beyond imagination.
(Thomas Merton, No Man is an Island)
May we live in pure hope and be perfectly free. For "hope does not disappoint because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:5).
As we celebrate the Holy Mother of God, we also celebrate the 58th World Day of Peace, with the theme "Forgive us our trespasses, grant us Your peace." Perhaps all of us will agree that we could not only invigorate our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, we could also, along with our neighbors near and far, better some of the ills we experience day in and day out through forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace.
I have been immersed in the series The Chosen. I marvel at the actors and actresses, the character development, the noteworthy lines and scenes, and the lessons to learn by the gradual conversion and witness of not only Jesus' immediate followers, but of others, Jew and Gentile alike. I am presently in Season 4. It is in episode 2, "Confessions," that I have seen one of the most powerful portrayals of forgiveness. Without spoiling it for those who haven't tuned in, there are a few lines to share. Jesus asks Matthew two questions that may help us as we seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God and our neighbor, especially a neighbor with whom we live or work: "Have you asked for forgiveness?" and "Who harmed the other first?" We might also remember a few other things Jesus says to Matthew: "You don't apologize to be forgiven. You apologize to repent. Forgiveness is a gift from the other person." And if you just think you can't apologize due to fear, anxiety, lack of courage, shame, embarrassment, or some other reason, remember these words of Jesus to Matthew: "I make people what they aren't. You know that better than most." Jesus will give you the strength and courage to offer a sincere and heartfelt apology to someone you have harmed. And lastly, in the past, in the present, in the future, for all time then, we might remember that "there is no peace when two of My followers hold resentment towards one another." Thank you, Jesus, you give the peace that the world does not give. However, we have our parts to play. This is why our holy father Saint Benedict instructs us: "Let peace be your quest and aim ... If you have a dispute with someone, make peace with him before the sun goes down" (Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue 17; 4:73). And lead us not into temptation.
Our friends in heaven and on earth encourage us.
In teaching us to pray the "Our Father," Jesus begins by asking the Father to forgive our trespasses, but passes immediately to the challenging words: "as we forgive those who trespass against us". In order to forgive others their trespasses and to offer them hope, we need for our own lives to be filled with that same hope, the fruit of our experience of God's mercy. Hope overflows in generosity; it is free of calculation, makes no hidden demands, is unconcerned with gain, but aims at one thing alone: to raise up those who have fallen, to heal hearts that are broken and to set us free from every kind of bondage.
(Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the LVIII World Day of Peace, January 1, 2025, paragraph 10)
Seventy-seven times forgiveness acknowledges that I do not see the whole story, that God does not love me more than He loves those with whom I am in conflict. It is absolute surrender and love, and extravagant kind of grace, and undeserved forgiveness that holds out a hand that may be refused.
(Mother Saint Teresa of Calcutta, 1910-1997)
It is always tempting to take credit for the gifts and to lay blame elsewhere for our faults. If we do not claim responsibility for the choices that are truly ours, neither can we ask for or seek forgiveness. Too heavy for us, our offenses-to heavy not to allow the Lord to wipe them away.
(Magnificat, Prayer for the Morning, Introduction to Psalm 65, March 9, 2024)
No one heals himself by wounding another.
(Saint Ambrose of Milan, 339-397)
Only the peace of God, which surpasses all pleasures of the senses, can satisfy the aspirations of our soul.
(Venerable Mary Magdalene of Jesus in the Eucharist, C.P., 1888-1960)
Forgiveness often seems impossible, but nothing is impossible for God. The God who lives within us will give us the grace to go beyond our wounded selves and say, "In the Name of God you are forgiven."
(Henri Nouwen, 1932-1996)
If by chance your conscience is burdened by sin, take your rosary and say at least part of it ... [Jesus] will plead for you and will obtain for your contrition and forgiveness of your sins.
(Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, 1673-1716)
We say that we must seek God, go to Him and ask for forgiveness, but when we go, He is waiting for us. He is first! ... You go [a] sinner but He is waiting to forgive you.
(Pope Francis, Vigil of Pentecost, May 18, 2013)
It is to be hoped that the life of everyone will be a life sustained by passionate love for the Lord Jesus; a life capable of responding to suffering and to thorns with forgiveness and the total gift of self, in order to spread everywhere the good odor of Christ.
(Pope Saint John Paul II, May 20, 2000, to pilgrims on the Centenary of the Canonization of Saint Rita of Cascia, d. 1457)
Breath of life, you who knows us better than we know ourselves, grant that the words we speak serve to praise your name and express your love for creation. Prevent us from speaking in any way that hurts another, but rather let our speech be instructive, uplifting, and always in accordance with your will. We ask this through your son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
(Advent and Christmas with Thomas Merton, Liguori, 2002, p. 81)
There are more than a few saints to invoke this month, including "wholly American," Mother Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. ☺ For all the saints ...
SAINT BASIL THE GREAT,
SAINT GREGORY NAZIANZEN,
SAINT MUNCHIN,
SAINT GENEVIEVE,
SAINT KURIAKOSE ELIAS CHAVARA,
BLESSED STEPHANA QUINZANI OP,
SAINT ELIZABETH ANN SETON,
SAINT JOHN NEWMANN,
SAINT RAYMOND OF PENYAFORT,
SAINT ANDRE BESSETTE,
SAINT NATHALAN,
SAINT PETER THOMAS,
SAINT ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY,
SAINT ANDREW CORSINI,
BLESSED ANN OF THE ANGEL MONTEAGUDO OP,
BLESSED GONSALVO OF AMARANTE OP,
BLESSED BERNARD SCAMMACCA OP,
SAINT AELRED OF RIEVAULX,
SAINT MARGARET BOURGEOYS,
SAINT BENE (BENEDICT) BISCOP,
SAINT HILARY OF POITIERS, BISHOP, DOCTOR,
SAINT KENTIGERN OR MUNGO,
SAINT ITA,
SAINT REMIGIUS, REMY OR REMI,
SAINT FURSA OR FURSEY,
SAINT JOSEPH VAZ,
SAINT ANTONY, ABBOT,
OUR LADY OF ARABIA,
SAINT MARGARET OF HUNGARY OP,
SAINT WULSTAN,
SAINT NINO (HOLY CHILD),
SAINT FAOLAN,
SAINT HENRY OF UPPSALA,
THE JESUIT MARTYRS OF THE REFORMATION OF EUROPE,
BLESSED ANDREW OF PESCHIERA OP,
POPE SAINT FABIAN,
SAINT SEBASTIAN,
BLESSED CYPRIAN MICHAEL TANSI,
BLESSED ANGELO PAOLI,
SAINT AGNES, VIRGIN, MARTYR,
SAINT VINCENT, DEACON, MARTYR,
SAINT PUBLIUS,
BLESSED ANTHONY DELLA CHIESA OP,
SAINT MARIANNE COPE,
BLESSED HENRY SUSO OP,
SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES, BISHOP, DOCTOR,
SAINT PAUL, APOSTLE,
SAINTS TIMOTHY AND TITUS,
SAINT ANGELA MERICI, VIRGIN,
BLESSED EDWARD OLCORNE,
SAINT HENRY DE OSSO,
BLESSED MARCOLINO OF FORLI OP,
SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS, PRIEST, DOCTOR,
BLESSED ARCHANGELA GIRIANI,
BLESSED VILLANA DE BOTTI OP,
SAINT AEDAN OF FERNS
SAINT JOHN BOSCO,
SAINT ALBAN ROE,
SAINT THOMAS GREEN,
PRAY FOR US.
Today's photo: Mary, Mother of God, most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
© Gertrude Feick 2025
