Hope That Lives On

“Hope does not disappoint,” writes St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans (Romans 5:5–11). These powerful words can accompany us on All Souls’ Day, the day we remember all the faithful departed, who have gone before us. “Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts.” These words reach quietly into the places where loss and longing still live within us. Hope does not erase sadness, but it gives it meaning. It reminds us that love, God’s love, is stronger than death.

Jubilee Year

The Holy Doors at St. Peter’s will close on January 6, 2026 and the Jubilee Year of Hope slowly ends. I find myself reflecting on that promise. Hope is not something we hold only in times of prosperity or joy. Hope is what carries us through moments of change, uncertainty, and farewell. In my own life, as I step back from active ministry, I do so with gratitude and with hope, trusting that the seeds planted and nurtured in this community will continue to grow in faith and love.

Giving Thanks

Every day, in our own way, we leave behind traces of hope through kindness, prayer, and the care we show for one another. The souls we remember today have done the same. The people who have come into our lives, even for a short time, those who have left us or moved away, are not lost to us. They live in the heart of God and in the fruits of their love. They live on in our memories, in faded pictures, or in the words written from the heart of a catechist. Let us give thanks for all the souls, known and unknown, and for the God who never forgets a single one. Let us keep walking in faith, in memory, and in hope that does not disappoint.