Pope Francis wrote “During the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.” Some of the signs of hope that Pope Francis refers to are the desire for peace in our world, and looking to the future with hope and enthusiasm for life. It calls us to be tangible signs of hope for others including, prisoners, the sick and homebound, for our youth, migrants, those who are vulnerable, the elderly, and the poor and impoverished.
The Jubilee Year is a reminder to all of us that as God has given us hope through His love, mercy, healing, and forgiveness, we are also called to give hope to others. Pope Francis said “Hope also is not a passive virtue, which merely waits for things to happen, rather, it is a supremely active virtue that helps make them happen.” We give hope when we work for peace. We give hope when we feed the hungry. We give hope when we welcome the immigrant. We give hope when we respect the rights of others. And we give hope to others when we are willing to give ourselves to them. As the star of Bethlehem was the beacon of light that guided the Wise Men to Jesus, let us be a beacon of hope that can lead others to Christ.
The Pope has provided us with a prayer for this jubilee:
Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen.
This year our parish is also celebrating the 120th Anniversary of the Dedication of Sacred Heart Church. The new church building was completed and dedicated in 1905. On Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. we will have a special mass celebrating the anniversary of the dedication. During that celebration we will also commission all of our parish ministers.
It is a reminder that it is the people who make up the church. It was the parishioners who in the late 1890’s that worked hard to build a beautiful new church in downtown Tampa. It was the many parishioners over the 120 years that continued to serve the parish and help it to grow. Over the last years it was the parishioners who continued to provide for the needs of the parish and community. Over our long parish history we have countless examples of parishioners being that hope to others. During our celebration in January it is a time to celebrate that hope.
Peace and All Good,
– Fr. Mike
