The Guardian’s view on the persistence of hope: a necessary virtue in troubled times | Editorially

In the introduction to a new, seasonal collection of his speeches on hope, Pope Francis reflects about the legacy of the great German theologian Johann Baptist Metz. Shaped by the early experience of living through the horrors of the Nazi era, Metz’s political theology was an impassioned warning against the danger of self-absorbed Christian piety. Instead, he called for a hopeful “mystic with open eyes”—one who clearly bears witness to and seeks to alleviate the suffering of others.

At a time of year associated with renewal and new birth, it is not necessary to share Metz’s religious beliefs to feel the power of that message. This year has been filled with heartbreaking images from the ongoing wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere. The weekend brought reports of yet more innocent victims of Israel’s relentless bombing campaign, including children sheltering in a school. Meanwhile, more than 12,000 civilians have been killed since the start of Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine, along with more than 43,000 soldiers, according to Kiev’s estimation.

Faced with human catastrophe on such a scale, there is a temptation to turn away in despair or resignation. Further horror came on Friday in the form of the shocking terrorist attack on Magdeburg’s Christmas market, in which five people, including a nine-year-old boy, were killed. More needs to be understood about the motives of the attacker, a Saudi-born refugee who was reportedly an anti-Muslim supporter of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party. But the atrocity is already being used to fuel general anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of Germany’s snap election in February.

These feel like dark times. But in the midst of such tragedy and grief, there continue to be inspiring examples of committed hope. In Gaza, NGO workers for War Child – one of the conflict-related charities supported by this year’s Guardian and Observer Christmas appeal – have endured mortal risks to provide life-saving support to more than 100,000 children trapped in a hellish landscape. In the war-torn east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where MSF has set up clinics to help thousands of victims of sexual violence, our reporter learned of the incredible compassion of survivors who make it their mission to comfort and console new arrivals .

Elsewhere, there have been extraordinary acts of individual heroism aimed at advancing the common good. In France, Gisèle Pelicot’s decision to insist that the trial of her multiple rapists be held in public was a significant act of solidarity with other victims. Her courage has given hope for lasting and overdue cultural change. The death of activist Alexei Navalny, who died while being held in a prison 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle, was a desperately bleak moment in Putin’s Russia. But his assertion on Facebook that “if your beliefs matter, be prepared to stand up for them” will inspire future democratic activists.

The Pope’s reflections are published in connection with the Catholic Church’s latest jubilee year, which begins on Christmas Eve and is dedicated to the theme of hope. They may not find their way onto too many secular bookshelves during the upcoming holidays. But ahead of a year in which peacemaking must become the world’s absolute priority, a Metzian belief in our ability to navigate through the worst, towards the light, feels like a decent starting point.

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