'“SPE SALVI facti sumus”—in hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the Romans, and likewise to us (Rom 8:24).' - Benedict XVI begins the introduction to his new encyclical on Christian hope and continues: 'According to the Christian faith, “redemption”—salvation—is not simply a given. Redemption is offered to us in the sense that we have been given hope, trustworthy hope, by virtue of which we can face our present: the present, even if it is arduous, can be lived and accepted if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the journey. Now the question immediately arises: what sort of hope could ever justify the statement that, on the basis of that hope and simply because it exists, we are redeemed? And what sort of certainty is involved here?'

The theological virtue of hope has far less attention on it than the other two, love and faith. Yet, hope is central to Christian existence and the Pope chose it as the theme of his encyclical probably for the actuality it has for our times. We need revive in us a strong sense of hope - or better to say ask the Holy Spirit to renew us in hope to face with courage our future.

In this way this encyclical is also a highly valuable reading and aid for reflection for the Christmas holidays and around the beginning of a new year.  Meditation on the importance of the hope that Jesus Christ came to bring to us, a hope that we can rely on with certainty,  "and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Rom 5:5).

I would call your attention mostly on the part when the Pope writes about the "great hope" of our lives, that fully satisfies (30-31) and on how to learn and practice hope (32 and followings). These chapters have also a strong healing message, and have therapeutic importance, I think.

Please, do read this great encyclical letter and share your thoughts about hope here on in other form. The document "Spe Salvi" can be accessed at the Vatican web site here:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-x...