Hope does not disappoint!

The birth of the poor and humble Jesus was a decisive silent “revolution” that engendered a fundamental transformation of humanity. Christmas is the joyful fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation in which we dare to hope.

As we experience in the Contemplation of the Incarnation in the Spiritual Exercises, the loving gaze of the Trinity reveals a world of extreme inequalities and polarization: good and evil, love and hate, joy and sadness, rich and poor, peace and war, life and death. In this context, not very different from ours today, Jesus took our human condition at the appointed time and pitched his tent amongst us (John 1:14). With Saint Ignatius of Loyola, we pray for the grace of an interior knowledge of Jesus, to love him more deeply and to follow him more closely (Spiritual Exercises 101-109).

Despite the tremendous progress in various fields of human endeavour, our world is still beset by disturbing challenges of ecological degradation, dehumanizing poverty, crisis of leadership, massive displacements of peoples, and devastating conflicts and wars. To all who instigate conflict, and to those who profit from war, we urge you to stop! Enough is enough! To all who have been relegated to the margins of society, whose dignity is wounded, and who bear the burden of ongoing turmoil, we urge you not to lose hope.

The Society of Jesus, in collaboration with our partners-in-mission, will continue to minister in varied, complex and difficult places, to bring the light of the Gospel and to work for justice, peace, healing and reconciliation. May this Christmas usher in much needed ceasefires and subsequent peaceful, just and equitable end to the bloody conflicts that disfigure our beautiful world.

The recently concluded Synod on Synodality calls all the People of God to become “pilgrims of hope” (Final Document, no. 115). On Christmas eve, Pope Francis will inaugurate the Jubilee of Hope. Our world yearns for “hope that does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5) – hope that is rooted in, inspired and nourished by the poor and humble Jesus Christ.

For the millions of pilgrims expected to visit Rome for the Jubilee of Hope in 2025, and for the millions more that will celebrate the Jubilee in their home dioceses and countries, may each of us – and all of us – be bearers and instruments of hope in our world.

Since “He [Jesus] loved us” we can re-echo Pope Francis, and learn from the heart of Jesus Christ how “to relate to one another in wholesome and happy ways, and to build up in this world God’s kingdom of love and justice. Our hearts, united with the heart of Christ, are capable of working this social miracle” (Dilexit nos, no. 28 – Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis “On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ”).

May the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, kindle love and hope in our hearts, in our families, communities, ministries and in our world.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a hope-filled New Year 2025!

Arturo Sosa, SJ