In the always-online era of 24/7 news coverage, it seems that every media outlet competes to see which can most incessantly barrage people with reasons to be afraid. Almost every headline is framed in terms of an impending catastrophe or imminent “crisis”—the debt crisis, the border crisis, the climate crisis, the education crisis, the housing crisis. Make no mistake, these are indeed critical issues for our national life and for global security. As responsible citizens, it’s our duty to remain informed. But the constant environment of fear encouraged by politicians, journalists, and internet influencers is having a corrosive effect on the emotional and spiritual lives of millions.
Recently, I was taken aback when an acquaintance of mine stood dejected, on the verge of tears and her voice quavering, as she recited a litany of dire calamities for our country and the world as a consequence of the recent presidential election. She was certain that people she loved would be directly harmed by the incoming administration (exactly how or why, she did not make clear). Her anxiety had been fanned by the constant exposure to the internet punditry, in which the wildest rumors and spurious conspiracies can take on the veneer of authority. It was obvious in that moment of discouragement that she just needed someone to listen. I was keenly aware that an ill-chosen word would only make the situation worse. I said a silent prayer for her.
We’ve become a society demoralized by a ceaseless state of desperation and anxiety driven by media advertisers and online algorithms. And for what purpose? To keep us fearful and suspicious of our neighbors and fellow citizens? In a recent social media post Pope Francis decried this untenable situation and proposed a remedy—Christian hope:
Today our world is experiencing a tragic ‘famine’ of hope. So much pain, emptiness, and inconsolable grief surrounds us! May we become messengers of the consolation bestowed by the Spirit. When we radiate hope, the Lord opens new paths along our journey.
“Let us fill our lives with the gift of hope that God gives us, and through us, let us allow it to reach everyone who is looking for it.”
The Holy Father further developed this theme in a video for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. Pope Francis called on Christians to “help each other discover this encounter with Christ who gives us life, and let’s set out on a journey as pilgrims of hope to celebrate that life. . . . Day by day, let us fill our lives with the gift of hope that God gives us, and through us, let us allow it to reach everyone who is looking for it.”
How can we become “pilgrims of hope” this Advent season? The familiar figures of the Gospel infancy narratives can serve as the perfect models for us. After responding to the message of the archangel Gabriel with her glorious fiat, Mary immediately “set out in haste” (see Luke 1:39) to visit her cousin Elizabeth, bringing with her a message of hope that burst forth in her immortal song of praise to God, called the Magnificat (see Luke 1:46–55). The shepherds of Bethlehem also became pilgrims of hope. After the startling revelation of the angel host that the long-awaited Messiah had that very night been born in their own city, they rushed off to adore the infant savior. The magi from the East became pilgrims of hope, returning to their distant land transformed by their encounter with the child of promise, the King of kings and God incarnate, who brings hope to “those who sit in darkness” (see Matt. 4:16).
We cannot become true pilgrims of hope until we also allow our encounter with Jesus Christ to transform our hearts. Do our souls “magnify the Lord” as Mary sang? Do we proclaim the good news that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (see Matt. 3:2)? Or do we spread the anxiety, fear, and despair that we imbibe from the cable news networks and from the internet?
The Scripture readings the Church has chosen for the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday, can serve as powerful reminders of the hope that all Christians should nurture in our hearts and proclaim to the world. The prophet Zephaniah foretells the coming of God’s promised savior as a time of gladness when all fear and discouragement shall be banished from the hearts of men:
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior. (Zeph. 3:15–17)
No matter what the world throws at us, Christians should have the courage to press forward in hope.
Likewise, in his Letter to the Philippians, St. Paul admonishes the Church to live out our hope in expectant joy:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:4–7)
No matter what the world throws at us, Christians should have the courage to press forward in hope. At the end of his video message, Pope Francis closed with a gentle reminder: “Don’t forget—hope never disappoints” (see Rom. 5:5). The God who made heaven and earth is a God who keeps his promises—this is the clear message of Scripture. The Israelites were a pilgrim people living in hopeful expectation of the salvation that God had promised to their forefathers: to Abraham, to Moses, and to David. The same hope that animated the people of Israel animates the Church today who, in her wisdom under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, has instituted the season of Advent at the beginning of the liturgical year to remind us to be confident in the saving power of Jesus Christ, who never abandons those who place their hope in him.
The Holy Father has given us a special Advent mission: to accompany our neighbors and friends in hope. Do you know someone paralyzed by fear, mistrust, anxiety, or despair? Reach out! Invite him or her to become a fellow pilgrim of hope. Become a messenger of peace. Share the ways that Christ is transforming your life. Give an “accounting for the hope that is in you” (see 1 Pet. 3:15). Let us all set out in haste to share the Good News that our God is Emmanuel (“God with us”): the God who never disappoints.
