Lent During the Holy Year of Hope:
Uncovering Signs of Hope – Becoming Beacons of Hope
The Fourth Week of Lent:
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.
(Ps. 32:7)
In Spes Non Confundit or “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5), the Papal Bull that officially established the Holy Year of Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis invites us on the one hand to discover signs of hope in our world and on the other hand to become beacons of hope to our world. Among the many people who are in desperate need of hope, he recognizes the millions of people who are poor and “who often lack the essentials of life.”
To raise awareness to the plight of poor people, Pope Francis established the World Day of the Poor 2017. It is observed every year on the penultimate Sunday in November.
During his homily on the most recent World Day of the Poor in 2024 Pope Francis meditated “on the war upon the battlefield of our hearts” between “anguish and hope.” Recognizing that anguish is widespread in our society the pope warned against the very real risk of “falling into despondency and failing to recognize the presence of God within this drama of history.”
He continued: “we witness the growing anguish around us brought about by the suffering of the poor, but we slip into the resigned way of thinking…: “that’s life” and “there is nothing I can do about it”.” When this happens, the pope argues, “Christian faith itself is reduced to a harmless devotion that does not disturb the powers that be and is incapable of generating a serious commitment to charity.”
He ended with these words: “I say this to the Church, to Governments and to International Organizations. I say to everyone: please, let us not forget the poor.”
- Abstinence (fasting):
On numerous occasions, Pope Francis has decried the fact that our society has fallen prey to unbridled consumerism. Saint Pope John Paul II described consumerism as “a style of life directed at having rather than being.” Consumerism he said is a “web of false and superficial gratification.” True happiness does not flow from what we have but from who we are.
During this Lenten Journey let’s evaluate our lives by asking ourselves the question: “Do I really need all these material objects? Is it possible for me to manage without pursuing more and more unnecessary extras and live a life of greater simplicity.”
- Appeal (prayer):
We often pray at Mass for people who are poor, particularly during the Universal Prayer or the Prayers of the Faithful. Though this is praiseworthy, it is not enough. Praying for someone is very different than praying with this person. When we pray for someone, we can do that without any obligation on our part while the connection with the person we pray for is minimal. Praying with someone presumes a relationship with that person. Prayer binds people together. That is why Pope Francis challenges us to not just pray for the poor but to make the prayer of the poor our own and to pray with them. This will connect us with the plight of those who are poor on a much deeper level. And as we read in the Book of Sirach 21:5 “the prayer of the poor rises up to God.”
During this Lenten journey, let us not just pray for the poor but with the poor.
- Action (almsgiving):
While praying for and with the poor is wonderful, prayer without action is incomplete. It turns Christianity into a “harmless devotion.” Christians are called to treat everyone, especially those who are in need as Jesus did. He heard the cry of the poor and neither looked the other way nor closed his eyes to their needs.
Pope Francis once said that assisting a poor person, is a most sacred act, aligned with the mandate of the Gospel and the mission of the Church.
During this Lenten season let us not only pray for and with the poor but also engage in activities that are a cause of hope for the poor. Our Saint Vincent de Paul ministries offer many ways in which we can help our sisters and brothers in need. I invite you to go to our website and find a ministry that speaks to you.
And please remember to be patient with yourself. Lent is neither an endurance test nor a demonstration of Christian heroism. Instead, it is a period for reflection on the core aspects of our faith and mend our lives accordingly. It is important to proceed at a manageable pace and to be patient with yourself and others.
Johan van Parys, PhD
Managing Director of Ministries/ Director of Liturgy & Sacred Arts