Pilgrims of Hope”　 

　　　Fr TAKABATAKE MASAYUKI

We have started the journey of the Jubilee Year 2025. The Holy Year is centered on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”. It is not because the world is full of hope, but because it is so hard to find it. Therefore, Christians are called to rekindle the flame of hope and continue the journey.

The world is facing many war situations, especially the war between Ukraine and Russia. It seems to be difficult to find a path to a ceasefire or a peace agreement, so a feeling of helplessness is spreading throughout the world. Besides, many countries are strengthening their military power. Tensions among nations are rising since Leaders are primarily concerned about the security of their own countries. The political situation is becoming more and more chaotic and ideological divisions among people are growing. Aside from that, we face many other challenges such as global warming and natural disasters caused by environmental destruction. Indeed, this requires a cooperation not only among some few countries but the entire planet. That is why the Pope is inviting us to a “journey of hope”.

One of the NHK programs that I recently like to watch is “The Century of Butterfly Effect”. In fact, it is a documentary that relives History by releasing and reconstructing video footages stored around the world. This shows how things are interconnected and how small triggers are behind the major events in History. The Butterfly effect is derived from the theory proposed by the meteorologist Edward Lorenz. He stressed that small changes could lead to a big one. The mentioned theory has a metaphorical image of a butterfly flapping wings causing a downpour on the other side of the earth. By interpreting this theory, we could say that each one of us can change this world into a better place by our actions even though they might appear simple and small.

The Jewish philosopher Martin Buber said that “God does not exist outside the world, but rather this world is contained in God”. He also stated that “History does not proceed according to our particular plan but rather arises through a dialogue between God and mankind”.

 In his message of the Jubilee 2025, pope Francis says, “Hope is an anchor”. We are in a ship and God is the unshakable ground. By lowering the anchor of hope on the shore, we can connect ourselves with God and create a future full of hope.