Pope Francis: Hope is not simply optimism or good mood, hope is based in Jesus

September 9, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis explained the true meaning of hope, one of the virtues he has continuously referred to during his pontificate. At his Mass homily in Casa Santa Marta he said hope is more than just optimism for Christians.

POPE FRANCIS
“Jesus, the hope, renews everything. It's a constant miracle. He has not only done miracles of healings: those were only signs, signals of what He's now doing in the Church. The miracle of making everything new: what he does in my life, in your life, in our life. He rebuilds. And what He builds again is precisely the reason of our hope. Christ is the one who renews every wonderful thing of the Creation, He's the reason of our hope. And this hope does not delude because He is faithful. He can't renounce Himself. This is the virtue of hope.”

As an example of hope, the Pope reminded all Christians about the Virgin Mary's attitude after her son's death, up until His resurrection on Sunday.

EXTRACT FROM POPES HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)

But hope is something else. It's not optimism. Hope is a present, it's a gift from the Holy Spirit ant that is why Paul says: 'Never disappoint yourself'- Hope never lets you down. Why? Because it's a gift from the Holy Spirit. But Paul tells us that hope has a name. Hope is Christ. We can't say: 'I have hope in God', no. If you don't say: 'I have hope in Jesus Christ, a person that's alive, that lives in the Eucharist, that is present in His word', that is not hope. It could be good mood, optimism...

Jesus, the hope, renews everything. It's a constant miracle. He has not only done miracles of healings: those were only signs, signals of what He's now doing in the Church. The miracle of making everything new: what he does in my life, in your life, in our life. He rebuilds. And what He builds again is precisely the reason of our hope. Christ is the one who renews every wonderful thing of the Creation, He's the reason of our hope. And this hope does not delude because He is faithful. He can't renounce Himself. This is the virtue of hope.

May the Lord, who is the hope of glory, who is the center, the whole, help us in this path: to give hope, to have passion for hope. And, as I've said, it's not always optimism but what Mary, Mother of God, sheltered in her heart during the darkest time of her life: since Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. That is hope: she had it. And that hope has renewed everything. May God grant us that grace.”