Fresh Starts and New Beginnings: The Beauty of Returning to School
As the new school year begins, teachers and school staff take their place as modern-day pilgrims – journeying together with hope, purpose, and a commitment
January 13, 2025
Liturgy, Prayer & Multimedia Resources
to enhance ministry in the Year of Jubilee
God’s Spirit is on me; God’s chosen me to preach the message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, “This is God’s year to act!” – Luke 4: 18 – 19
Hope, in the Christian context, is like a solid rock we can rely on, especially when things get tough. Being hope-filled means trusting that God’s got our backs, even when life throws curveballs. It’s about looking beyond the rough patches and believing in a bigger plan, one that’s filled with purpose and good things. When we’re anchored in this kind of hope, we not only stay positive ourselves but also become source of strength and encouragement for our friends. It’s like having a light in the dark, guiding us through and helping us see that there’s always a way forward. By holding onto this hope, we’re not just finding our own path but also helping to lift others up and build a community where faith and optimism go hand in hand.
It is into this space that hopeHQ enters offering parishes and schools all the prayer, liturgy, music, multimedia and professional learning resources needed to equip communities as “Pilgrims of Hope” in the Year of Jubilee.
A time to start all over again. Welcome to hopeHQ!
Pilgrims of Hope –
Jesus Is Our Hope
The motto given to this Holy Year 2025 by Pope Francis is “Pilgrims of Hope,” in the belief that the year “can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire” after years of pandemic and suffering. We can be hopeful people because Jesus modelled it for us. In this time and place, we are now called to deepen hope, to be people of trust, to be pilgrims and messengers of hope in all the circumstances of our lives.
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me, because God has anointed me. God sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners. God sent me to announce the year of God’s grace – a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies – and to comfort all who mourn. – Isaiah 61: 1 – 2
The Jubilee is a year-long, grace-filled celebration when we are called to reflect on our faith and renew our commitment to God and experience God’s mercy. The Jubilee is celebrated every 25 years. Since the year 1300, each Holy Year has held profound spiritual, ecclesial, and social importance for the Church and its followers.
“Pilgrims of Hope”, the motto of the Jubilee Year 2025, where Pope Francis invites the Church – the women and men of our time, and above all young people – to rediscover the theme of hope.
As “Pilgrims of Hope”, the Jubilee 2025 offers a unique opportunity for all God’s people to strengthen their faith, experience God’s grace and share hope in the world. Embrace the spirit of pilgrimage and participate in this special year of celebration.
Check out the samples below from the hopeHQ Song Library.
To download these files and supplementary PDF lyrics please visit our Sample Resources page.
A Time to Start All Over Again
The Christian journey takes place gradually. Along the way our traveling companions enrich us with new ways of understanding things and fresh perspectives. Contemplation of creation is also part of the journey. Pilgrimage is an experience of conversion, of transforming one’s very being to conform to the holiness of God. During the pilgrimage, one also shares in the experience of those who, for various reasons, are forced to leave their homelands to seek a better life for themselves and their family.
“Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love … The Christian life is a journey, calling for moments of greater intensity to encourage and sustain hope as the constant companion that guides our steps toward the goal of our encounter with the Lord Jesus.”
“The first sign of hope is the desire for peace in our world … the need for peace challenges us all and demands that concrete steps be tireless in its commitment to seek, with courage and creativity, every opportunity to undertake negotiations aimed at lasting peace.”
“The second sign of hope should entail having enthusiasm for life and a readiness to share it. Sadly this is lacking. We need to urge the Christian community to be at the forefront in pointing out the need for a social covenant to support and foster hope so we may have a future filled with the laughter of children and young people.”
– Pope Francis, “Hope Does Not Disappoint”, 9 May 2024, St. Peter’s Basilica
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