VATICAN CITY — The world is in great need of hope, Pope Francis said.
"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," the pope said in a video explaining the intention he would like Catholics to pray for during the month of December.
The pope's message encouraging prayers "for pilgrims of hope" was released by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network Dec. 3. The network posts a short video of the pope offering his specific prayer intention each month, and members of the network pray for that intention each day.
In the video, the pope said, "Christian hope is a gift from God that fills our lives with joy. And today, we need it a lot. The world really needs it a lot!"
It is easy to get discouraged when "you don't know if you'll be able to feed your children tomorrow or if what you're studying will allow you to get a good job," he said.
But "hope never disappoints," he said.
"Hope is an anchor that you cast over with a rope to be moored on the shore," the pope said, and people of faith must hold on to that rope tightly.
"Let's 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," he said.
As Catholics prepare for the opening of the Holy Year 2025 on Christmas Eve, he asked them to "pray that this upcoming Jubilee strengthen us in our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in the midst of our lives, transforming us into pilgrims of Christian hope."
— Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service