This Year of Jubilee calls us to be Pilgrims of Hope – people who choose to believe that even in the hardest places, light can still break through.

On Holy Thursday, in what would be one of his final public acts, Pope Francis visited a prison in Rome – quietly, humbly without much media fanfare. Unlike previous years, there was no ceremonial washing of feet. Yet his presence alone spoke volumes. Simply by showing up, Pope Francis reminded those inside – and all of us – that no one is forgotten. No door is too locked. No life is too lost.

Now, as we grieve his passing and give thanks for his life, this simple act resonates even more deeply. Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis constantly chose to meet people where they were – in prisons, refugee camps, hospitals, and places of suffering. His visit this Holy Thursday was one more witness to the truth he loved: hope goes where love goes.

Being Pilgrims of Hope doesn’t mean chasing big, flashy moments. It means, like Pope Francis showed us, walking into the quiet, overlooked places with hearts wide open. It means believing that dignity can be restored, forgiveness can be real, and new beginnings are always possible – even behind bars, even in grief, even when the night feels long.

This Jubilee Year, may we walk in his footsteps, carrying forward the simple but powerful conviction he leaves behind: Hope lives here, even here. And because of that, the journey is always worth taking.