To our very dear Old Girls,

 
I greet you all “A grace-filled Jubilee Year of Hope!”

 
It took some time for me to appreciate more and more what this Jubilee year means. I had to join one of our community’s pilgrimages last January 9 to deeply value what this year wants to offer each one of us. It is a year of God’s favor that is upon us… a year of grace, a Jubilee where the biblical meaning is canceling the debt, rest for the land, release, liberty, a reset so “captives” and the land may be set free to start anew. This ‘new life’ may mean different things for many of us but one thing is for sure, there is so much promise before us if only we allow this privileged time to renew us.

A Jubilee is declared by the Pope every 25 years. Part of the prayer rite in going through a pilgrimage is when one crosses over a Jubilee door in a designated Pilgrim Church. This “crossing over” calls for the pilgrim to look into what one needs to let go of or leave behind to make the passage from disorder to order, from darkness to light, from disintegration to integration, towards wholeness and fullness of life in Christ.

However, this Jubilee Year of Hope is against the backdrop of stark realities, such as the violence of war, poverty, shameless corruption, and fake news, the disastrous impact of climate change, mental health challenges, disturbing political discord, and other challenges like our own or our loved ones’ fragilities that may shake our sense of hope. But because we are anchored in Jesus Christ who walks closely with us, even when the waves and the strong winds are frightening, let Jesus jolt us with his strong rebuke “Why are you afraid? You men and women of little faith!” (cf. Matthew 8:26) Instead, we confidently trust in Christ who reaches out His hand to save us. Pope Francis explained that he chose the theme of hope “to help everyone gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart, and far-sighted vision.” This is indeed a time of renewal and a time of rejoicing.

 
Let us keep this hope front and center as Mother Marie Eugenie would say “If there were more hope, there would be more saints.” This is because of a deep awareness of the goodness of God, of the conviction of his power and love for us so that we are able to do great things because we feel a strong hand is upholding us. We can be hopeful because our solid anchor is Jesus Christ, who loves us and is always with us. So we cannot but live in the spirit of gratitude and joy. This joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, of giving our all to God in response to His gratuitous love and mercy. When we surrender ourselves fully to His will, we are met not with exhaustion but with renewed energy, unshakable hope, and a sense of purpose. This joy of living the Good News and the values of Jesus
is the foundation upon which we shall build. As women of faith and women of action, let us embrace this year of favor and grace to respond wholeheartedly to the invitation to co-author a new chapter of our shared story, rooted in faith and guided by the strength of the Holy Spirit. It is important to be reminded that our life is not about us; it is an illusion to think that we are in control but we are part of God’s plan. By His grace, may we continue to deepen our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ, commit to ongoing conversion, and be the signs of hope our wounded world needs. For “when you become who God meant you to be, you will set the world on fire.” (St. Catherine of Siena)