Pope Francis inaugurated the Jubilee audiences on 11 January at the Paul VI Hall, inviting the faithful to ask God for the theological virtue of hope, the central theme of the Holy Year 2025. The Pope emphasised that hope is a force that comes from God, and it is not something habitual or a characteristic, but rather a gift that one must ask for. He encouraged the faithful to become pilgrims, asking for this gift and setting out again on the path of life.
The Pope reflected on the figure of John the Baptist, who represents a new beginning and a call to start over. He invited the faithful to put this idea in their minds and to say together: “start over.” Pope Francis also highlighted Jesus’ words about John the Baptist, saying that the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than him. He explained that hope lies entirely in this leap in quality, which does not depend on us, but on the Kingdom of God.
The Pontiff emphasized that our world needs this new order of greatness, and he invited the faithful to ask themselves if they have a sincere desire to start over and learn from Jesus. He encouraged them to learn from John the Baptist to believe again and to recognize the difference of God, which has shone forth in Jesus. Pope Francis concluded by saying that the hope for our common home and for all human beings lies in this difference, and he invited the faithful to start again from this originality of God, serving, loving fraternally, and recognizing themselves as small.