“A Savior is Born for you” (Lk 2:11): Jesus, Pilgrim of Hope, in Luke’s Catechesis

Abstract

The Jubilee promulgated by Pope Francis for 2025, with the bull Spes non confundit (Rom 5:5), points to the theme of hope. It is necessary to think of it as a lifestyle of the Christians, committed to creating the world desired by God, in the footsteps of Jesus. The Lukan catechesis contains an enriching presentation of Jesus, as a pilgrim of hope, from beginning until the end of his journey. The present text explains this aspect of Lukan Christology, aiming to contribute to the understanding of the Jubilee and its impact on the baptismal commitment of the followers. It begins with the Lukan vocabulary of hope, relating it to the word salvation. Then comes the presentation of Jesus’ commitment to restore hope to those who are hopeless and to the implementation of this missionary program. Often he found himself faced with his enemies whose actions determined to frustrate his objectives. However, even being nailed to the cross, nothing was able to stop him from being an architect of hope. Furthermore, the apostles were given the task of carrying forward their mission.

KEYWORDS: Jesus of Nazareth. Gospel of Luke. Hope. Salvation. Poor.