Pope says Jesus is hope in person who recreates everything

September 09, 2013 - Pope Francis dwelt upon the virtue of hope during Mass Monday morning, saying one must not equate it with good mood or optimism. “Hope is not looking at a half-full glass, which is simply optimism, which is a human attitude that depends on many things,” the Pope said in his homily at the Mass in the chapel of the Vatican’s Casa Santa Martha residence. “Hope is a gift of Jesus, of His very self, His very name is hope,” the Pope said stressing St. Paul’s exhortation to Colossians in the Mass reading- “It is Christ in you, the hope for glory.” The Pope lamented that hope is considered a ‘second class’ virtue or the ‘humble virtue’ compared to oft-quoted faith and charity. For this, the Pope said, hope is confused with good mood. Rather, the Pope said, hope is a gift of the Holy Spirit, which St. Paul says ‘never deludes,” because Jesus is hope. And if one does not say ‘I hope in Jesus, in the Eucharist in His Word,” it is mere good mood and optimism. Explaining further the said that hope and freedom go together. Where there is no hope there cannot be freedom, the Pope said, recalling Jesus healing the man with a withered hand on a Sabbath. For a Christian Jesus is hope in person and he has the power to free and recreate every life. Jesus, who does not delude because he is faithful, recreates everything, the Pope said, reminding all of the numerous miracles in life, not just healing, which is why He is hope. In this regard he wished that priests, specially attached to Christ, live this hope, Jesus, who recreates everything.