"The most humble of the three virtues" was the topic of Pope Francis’ homily at Mass Tuesday morning at Casa Santa Marta , during which he again warned against "our clericalism, our non-ecclesial ecclesiastical attitudes, "so that Christian hope is dynamic and life-giving”.

Vatican City ( AsiaNews) - Christian hope is not optimism , "it is more ",  it is "ardent expectation " for the Revelation of the Son of God, it is "longing for this revelation, for this joy that will cover our faces with smiles . "

"The most humble of the three virtues" was the topic that Pope Francis dedicated his homily to at Mass this morning at Casa Santa Marta , during which he again warned against during which he again warned against "our clericalism, our non-ecclesial ecclesiastical attitudes, "so that Christian hope is dynamic and life-giving".

The Pope, reports Vatican Radio, was inspired by the words of St. Paul, in the first reading, to highlight the unique dimension of Christian hope. That is not optimistic, but "an ardent expectation" a longing for the Revelation of the Son of God.

"Hope does not disappoint, it is safe". But "it is not easy to see hope". "Hope is not optimism, it is not to be confused with that ability to look at things with good cheer and move on. No, that's optimism, not hope. Nor is hope simply having a positive attitude in front of things. Those bright and positive people, which in itself is a good thing no?. Butt it is not hope. It is not easy to figure out what is the hope. It is said to be the most humble of three virtues, because it hides itself in life. Faith can be seen, felt, known. You can do charity, you know what it is. But what is the hope? What is this attitude of hope? To try to understand it even a little we could say firstly that hope is a risk, it is a risky virtue, as St. Paul says it is the virtue of ardent expectation for the Revelation of the Son of God.' It is not an illusion".

Having hope is this: "longing for this Revelation, this joy that covers our faces with smiles". Saint Paul emphasizes that hope is not optimism, "it is more." It is another different thing ." The first Christians "depicted it as an anchor: hope was an anchor, an anchor tied to the banks" of the afterlife . And our life is just walking towards this anchor.

"The question comes to mind: where we anchored to ourselves, each of us ? Are we anchored right there on the shore of that far away ocean or we are anchored to an artificial lagoon that we created, with our rules, our behavior, our rhythms, our clericalism, our non-ecclesial ecclesiastical attitudes, huh? Are we anchored there? Everything comfortable, all secure , huh? That is not hope . Where is my heart anchored, there in this man-made lagoon, with really impeccable behavior... " .

St. Paul shows another icon of hope, that of childbirth. "We are waiting - he observed - this is a delivery. And hope is in this dynamic", of "giving life." But, he added, "the first fruits of the Spirit can not be seen". Yet I know that "the Spirit works". He works in us "like a mustard seed, that inside is full of life, strength, progressing" to become tree . The Spirit works like yeast. This, he added, "is how the Spirit works: you do not see it, but it is there. It's a grace we must ask for" :

"It is one thing is to live in hope, because in hope we are saved and another thing to live as good Christians, and nothing more. Waiting with ardent expectation for the revelation or living true to  the commandments, being anchored to the shore of the beyond or parked in our own artificial lagoon. I think of Mary, a young girl, when, after she heard she was to be a mother changed her attitude and went, and helped and sang a song of praise. When a woman becomes pregnant she is a woman, but she is never (just) a woman is a mother . And hope has something of this. It changes our attitude: we are who we are, but we are not only that, we are looking towards there, anchored there. "

 

 

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