Advent is a time, not just of waiting, but rather of hope-filled waiting. And so it is fitting that Pope Benedict XVI just released an encyclical letter titled “In Hope We Are Saved” (Spe Salvi facti Sumus) on November 30, 2007. The letter is also available in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Latin.
The introduction is quite intriguing because it claims that salvation “is not simply a given.” Rather, it is “on the basis of …[Christian] hope… [that] we are redeemed.” It’s not often that you hear theological statements emphasizing the link between salvation and hope. The Pope goes on to explain this connection in the 27 page letter.
Key to understanding the Pope’s statement is the realization that he is speaking of a faith-filled hope. The Pope offers many quotes from the Bible and from theologians across the ages. He also cites many examples from history which have influenced our understanding of salvation and hope.
In a section on “The transformation of Christian faith — hope in the modern age,” the Pope brings the discussion to the present. He argues that Jesus’ message is not meant to be understood narrowly, only for individuals. But rather that the message also has a communal dimension. We have a “responsibility for the whole.” Hope must encompass both the individual and the larger community. It is not just one or the other.
As he explains, “Since I cannot be happy without others or in opposition to them, it remains true that a hope that does not concern me personally is not a real hope.” But this hope alone is not enough. We must also have hope for others and for our world.Put another way, “We need the greater and lesser hopes that keep us going day by day. But these are not enough without the great hope, which must surpass everything else.” And this great hope is a gift to us from God.
The letter also gives some ideas on how we can learn to better accept this gift of hope from God. These include prayer, action and suffering as a way to learn hope, and judgment (an idea which the Pope notes has faded in importance in modern times.) Mary is also seen as a model for hoping in the midst of life’s journey.
As we begin our Advent journey, we walk in hope.
