Advent Message by the Principal Chaplain
Pilgrims of Hope
Dear friends, this Advent message reaches you during this beautiful and hectic time of the year when our timetable starts filling up with even more events than usual. As we often say, as Christians we need to take a step back to “enjoy” this season in a fruitful way: by not getting carried away with all the “busy-ness”, but rather by focussing on the essentials: the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the expectant awaiting of his future coming in glory.
As a Church, this Advent is even more special than usual, because we find ourselves in the final stages of the preparations for the Jubilee Year of 2025 which will kick off formally on Christmas Eve 2024 and run until the 6th January 2026. It should be a time of joy and conversion, characterised by prayer, pilgrimages, and other initiatives which help us rediscover our faith and live it in ever more fruitful ways.
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this Jubilee year is “Pilgrims of Hope”. Much has been said, and much more will be said about Hope, obviously. In fact, on the 7th December 2024 – as those of us who were present will surely attest – we were blessed with a beautiful Day of Recollection in Saint Ursula Monastery, Valletta, where two of our chaplains (Fr Gordon Refalo and Fr Antoine Borg) spoke to us about the Christian virtue of Hope.
Indeed, the Virtue of Hope is intimately related to our spirituality as an Order; even the Tuitio Fidei and Obsequium Pauperum are totally infused with hope. Allow me to briefly explain how.
First of all the Tuitio Fidei. Faith and Hope are sister virtues; in fact, many people find it difficult to tell them apart. But, briefly, whereas faith believes in something that exists NOW (i.e., God, and the truths he has revealed), hope believes something that has been promised to us IN THE FUTURE (i.e. God’s final victory, and our salvation in Christ).
So when, as members of the Order, we embrace our Catholic faith and promise to defend it, we are also asserting that we believe God’s promises about his future victory and our eternal destiny with him in heavenly glory. In defending the faith, we also uphold hope. We declare that however dark and difficult the situation may be in society and in the Church, we still trust that God is in control, and that in his time, he will rise up and make things right. With the author of the Book of Revelation, we cry out “Maranatha” which means “Come Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
But Christian hope is not about some “pie in the sky” spirituality. Hope demands that we roll up our sleeves and cooperate with God in bringing about his kingdom. And here comes the Obsequium Pauperum. Our loving assistance to Our Lords the sick and the poor is our way of witnessing our hope to them as well. By serving our suffering sisters and brothers, we shine a light in their darkness, kindling hope in their hearts as well. We remind them that God has not forgotten them and that he is at work, offering them solace and love. Our efforts are a small part of this work. Needless to say, we are limited and so are our means. But when we give our utmost (however limited it may be), our service, combined with a smile, a kind word, or a hug, will work wonders. Even if a cure or a solution is not to be had in this life, Our Lords the sick and poor will be strengthened and encouraged to persevere in the certainty of their own participation in God’s final victory.
In all this we will simply be living to the full the injunction given by Saint Peter in one of his letters: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)
And so, dear friends, while wishing you and your families a fruitful Advent season, I invite you to renew your commitment to living your faith to the best of your ability. Examine yourself and see if you can add a little more time and/or attention to your prayer life. Perhaps you can add the daily Mass to your schedule, if time and health allow. Likewise with other prayers and devotions: parts of the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, meditation on passages from Scripture, spiritual reading, etc. The list is endless.
And then let us also renew our commitment to the works of the Order. Let us actively make time to participate in our Association’s activities throughout 2025 and beyond, together with those initiatives so lovingly organised by VOTO and other groups within our great family.
May the Jubilee Year of 2025 be a moment of renewal not just for the Church in general, but also for our Order and our Association in particular.
God bless you, dear confrères and consœurs. I pray that you will have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Mgr Brendan M. Gatt
Principal Chaplain
Conventual Chaplain ad honorem
Today, the 8th December 2024,
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady.
