Missionaries of Hope: Radiating Christ’s Light Among All Peoples

October 19, 2025:

“Let us be artisans and heralds of hope, so that in every corner of the earth the love of Christ may dispel every shadow and lead humanity to its eternal springtime.” (Pope Francis, Spes Non Confundit, cf. 1 Pet 1:3)

The Jubilee Year 2025 calls every baptised Christian to become a Missionary of Hope Among All Peoples, echoing Christ’s own ministry and the Church’s enduring mission. In a world often overshadowed by loneliness, indifference, and turmoil, the faithful are invited to renew, build, and bear hope—rooted in Christ, strengthened by Scripture, nourished by the Eucharist, and witnessed through loving service.

Christ: Foundation and Model of Hope

Jesus Christ, “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8), remains the unchanging source and fulfilment of humanity’s hope. His proclamation at Nazareth ushered in the Lord’s favour (Lk 4:16-21), bringing salvation especially to the poor and afflicted. Through his suffering and fidelity, Christ embodies divine hope, trusting in God’s saving plan (Jer 29:11) and inspiring all believers to persevere through trials. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, Christian hope “responds to the aspiration for happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man” (CCC 1818), anchored in Christ’s Resurrection.

Missionary Identity and Shared Witness

Each baptised person is called to share in this mission of hope, echoing the joys and sorrows of all people (cf. Gaudium et Spes 1). Missionaries ad gentes exemplify this universality by bringing the Gospel across cultures and nations. St Paul VI reminded the faithful that salvation is both “immanent and transcendent” (Evangelii Nuntiandi 27), while Pope Francis stresses that “missionary synodality” invites the Church to journey together in hope (Evangelii Gaudium 15).

Works of Mercy: God’s Style of Hope

Hope becomes tangible through acts of mercy—serving the poor, the sick, the elderly, and the marginalised with compassion and tenderness (Evangelii Gaudium 127–128). Such acts reveal the Father’s love (1 Pet 1:21; 2 Cor 1:3–4). St John Paul II affirmed that “the Gospel calls everyone to be neighbour to every person, without exception” (Novo Millennio Ineunte 49).

Renewing Mission through Prayer and the Eucharist

True hope finds strength in Easter spirituality, particularly in the Eucharist, the wellspring of endurance and renewal. As Pope Francis noted, Christians should be “springtime people,” believing that darkness never has the final word. Prayer—especially with the Psalms—keeps hope alive and fosters missionary zeal. Cardinal Van Thuan beautifully testified that “the person who hopes is a person who prays.”

Entrustment to Mary, Mother of Hope

The Jubilee Year 2025 is entrusted to Mary, “Mother of Christ our Hope,” whose intercession helps the Church radiate Christ’s light to all peoples. Theologian Henri de Lubac observed that “the hope awakened by Mary is the hope of the Church herself.”

Mission Sunday 2025: A Call to Action

This year’s Mission Sunday theme, “Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples,” invites Christians to be living witnesses of hope, unity, and faith. Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful to rekindle evangelising zeal, bringing Christ’s light to those facing trials and despair. The call is clear: to live as a community of hope, guided by the Holy Spirit, and to carry Christ’s message to every corner of the world.

Missionaries of Hope: Radiating Christ’s Light Among All Peoples

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