Pope Francis: Hope and kindness make the world more beautiful

By Christopher Wells

“I hope that during this Jubilee, we practice kindness as a form of love to connect with others,” says Pope Francis in a message offered to the BBC’s “Thought for the Day.”

In his message, the Holy Father highlights the importance of hope and kindness, which he says “touch the very heart of the Gospel and show us the path to follow in our behaviour.”

A world full of hope and kindness, he says, “is a more beautiful world” while “a society that looks to the future with confidence and treats people with respect and empathy is more humane.”

'We can choose love'

Pope Francis notes that the Jubilee Year, which began on Christmas Eve, calls us to be pilgrims of hope, and he encourages everyone to choose love in a world beset with wars, social injustices, and various forms of violence. “We choose love, and love makes our hearts fervent and hopeful.”

Love can be expressed in kindness, he says, “that opens hearts to acceptance and helps us to become more humble.” Humility, he continues, “lends itself to dialogue, helps us to overcome misunderstandings, and generates gratitude.”

The Pope cites “the great British writer G.K. Chesterton,” who “wisely invites us to take the elements of life with gratitude and not for granted.”

Pope Francis concludes his message with a wish for hope, and a prayer that the new year might bring us “peace, fellowship, and gratitude.”