It has been observed that more people died in concentration camps during January than in any other months. The reason is heartbreakingly simple: many prisoners held out hope for freedom with the New Year, but when it didn’t come, many were consumed by despair. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor who lost his parents, brother, and wife to the brutalities of the Nazi regime, noticed that those who did not let go of hope were often the ones who survived.
One young woman whom Frankl met in the camp knew she was nearing her end. Despite this, she remained hopeful. “I am grateful that fate has hit me so hard,” she told him. “In my former life, I was spoiled and didn’t take spiritual things seriously.” She found comfort in a small, flowering branch of a chestnut tree visible from her window. “I often talk to this tree,” she shared. When Frankl asked if it responded, she answered: “Yes. It said, ‘I am here—I am life, eternal life.’” For her, that simple tree symbolized life’s resilience and a connection to eternity, an inspiration that suffering could not take away! No one can defeat a person whose gaze is fixed on eternity. Those who dare to look to Jesus who offers life beyond death will find hope, peace and joy in their struggles.
Christian hope is a confident assurance that God is faithful and will fulfill His promises. While the world often prepares us to enjoy life’s pleasures with an eye on potential sorrows, Christianity helps us find joy even in hardship, in the hope of the everlasting joy that Jesus promised. Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans captures this resilience: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us….Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:18, 24-25)
Today, many people feel weighed down by hopelessness. This discouragement might come from past hurts, tough situations, or decisions that didn’t turn out well. But ‘hope in Christ’ is transformative. It points us to new possibilities and reminds us that while we may be “afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). This hope doesn’t erase our pain but gives it purpose and helps us endure. Even when it feels like all hope is gone, it is not the end. Saint Julian of Norwich expressed it simply: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”
Pope Francis has declared the upcoming Jubilee Year of 2025 as a “Year of Hope.” “Hope does not disappoint us” (Romans 5:5), he reminds us. Rather than giving in to discouragement and negativity, the Pope emphasizes that Christian hope is unshakeable because it is rooted in the certainty that nothing can separate us from the love of God. As Saint Augustine wrote: “Whatever our state of life, we cannot live without these three dispositions of the soul: to believe, to hope, and to love.” Those who reach out to Christ will always have someone to love, a purpose to live for, and hope to guide them. A life anchored in hope will never sink.
Heavenly Father, in times of darkness and uncertainty, I turn to You. My heart is heavy; my vision feels clouded, and joy seems far away. Fill my heart with Your hope, Lord, and help me trust in Your plan even when I cannot see the way. Amen.
