In his ongoing yearlong jubilee catechesis series on “Jesus Christ Our Hope,” Pope Francis continued to remind the faithful of the unwavering peace and grace that come from trusting in God. At his general audience on January 22, 2025, the Holy Father emphasized that those who place their trust in God need not fear, a message rooted in the Gospel’s teachings of hope and trust in God’s plan.
“The presence of the Lord always gives us this grace of not fearing,” Pope Francis said, reflecting on the comfort given by Jesus’ words to Mary, “Do not be afraid!” He further reassured Catholics that these words are not just for Mary but for all of us. “He says to us too: ‘Do not be afraid, keep going; do not be afraid!'”
Drawing on the Gospel of St. Luke, Pope Francis invited Catholics to live in the presence of the Lord by welcoming His Word into their lives, just as the Blessed Virgin Mary did. “Mary welcomes the Word in her own flesh and thus launches the greatest mission ever entrusted to a woman, to a human creature,” the pope explained. “She places herself in service: She is full of everything, not like a slave but as a collaborator of God the Father.”
The Holy Father encouraged the faithful to open their hearts to the divine Word, allowing it to transform them into “tabernacles of His presence, in hospitable homes where hope grows.”
Pope Francis also asked for prayers for the people of Los Angeles, who are grappling with ongoing wildfires, and for peace in regions of conflict such as Ukraine, Myanmar, Israel, and Palestine. Sharing a message from Gaza, he expressed his joy at hearing the parish and school there were doing well. “Yesterday I called — I do it every day — the parish in Gaza: They were happy! There are 600 people there, between the parish and school,” Pope Francis shared. “And they told me, ‘Today we had lentils with chicken,’ something they were not used to doing in these times: just some vegetables, something… They were happy!”
Pope Francis’ message of trust in God’s presence continues to inspire Catholics around the world to live with hope, offering comfort in moments of uncertainty.