SPES VINCIT OMNIA — Hope conquers All
I. WHAT IS HOPE?
Hope (spes), one of the three theological virtues alongside faith and charity, is essential in the Catholic life. Rooted in God’s promises and directed toward eternal life, Hope enables us to trust in divine providence and persevere in the face of life’s challenges. As St. Thomas Aquinas explains in the Summa Theologiae, Hope is the virtue by which we “desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (Summa Theologica II-II, Q. 17, A. 1).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1817) defines hope as follows:
“Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.”
This virtue allows the faithful to remain confident in God’s plan, even when human understanding falters. It bridges the gap between the present struggles and the future glory promised by God. It expands further stating that Hope “responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man; it takes up the hopes that inspire men’s activities and purifies them so as to order them to the Kingdom of heaven” (CCC 1818). Hope, therefore, is a bridge between the human longing for fulfillment and the divine promise of salvation, anchoring the soul amidst life’s uncertainties.
II. Aquinas on Hope and the Final Cause
Aquinas views Hope as the orientation of the human soul toward its ultimate end—union with God. He asserts: “Spes in bonum arduum tendit” (“Hope reaches toward a difficult good”). This “difficult good” is eternal happiness, which we cannot achieve without divine grace. Hope prevents despair, which Aquinas identifies as a sin against the Holy Spirit because it denies God’s mercy and power.
III. Scriptural Foundations and the Church Fathers
Hope is celebrated throughout Scripture, particularly in the writings of St. Paul:
• “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” (Romans 8:24).
• “And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5).
The Church Fathers also provided insight into this virtue from the earliest days of the Church. Consider:
A. St. Augustine
St. Augustine sees hope as a dynamic relationship between faith and love. In Enchiridion, he writes:
“Faith believes, hope and love pray. But hope asks for that which is to come, and love rejoices in what already is.”
For Augustine, hope sustains the believer in the “already but not yet” tension of salvation—rejoicing in God’s present blessings while longing for the fullness of His promises.
B. St. John Chrysostom
St. John Chrysostom emphasizes hope’s role in perseverance. He teaches that:
“Hope opens the gates of heaven and reminds us that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed” (Homilies on Romans 8:18).
III. Modern Papal Insights on Hope
In his encyclical Spe Salvi (2007), Pope Benedict XVI provides a profound reflection on Hope, emphasizing that it is not mere optimism but a theological virtue grounded in Christ’s redemptive work. He writes, “The one who has hope lives differently; the one who hopes has been granted the gift of a new life” (Spe Salvi 2). Benedict highlights that Hope sustains us in trials, allowing us to endure suffering because we trust in God’s ultimate justice and mercy.
Pope John Paul II, in his apostolic letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, reminded the Church of Hope’s transformative power in evangelization: “Duc in altum” (“Put out into the deep,” Luke 5:4). He calls Catholics to face challenges with courage, guided by the assurance that Christ has already triumphed over sin and death.
Our Holy Father Pope Francis also links Hope to God’s mercy. In his document Evangelii Gaudium, he writes, “Christian hope… is born of the certainty that we are infinitely loved by God, who never abandons us” (Evangelii Gaudium 6). For Francis, Hope propels Christians outward to serve others, reflecting God’s love in action. The year of our Lord 2025 has been declared a Jubilee Year celebrating this virtue. For the Pope’s full discussion on the Jubilee Year, click here. This will link to Spes non confundit, the Papal Bull of Induction of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025. He writes:
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Through our witness, may hope spread to all those who anxiously seek it. May the way we live our lives say to them in so many words: “Hope in the Lord! Hold firm, take heart and hope in the Lord!” (Ps 27:14). May the power of hope fill our days, as we await with confidence the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and glory, now and forever.
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IV. Pius X: Hope as an Antidote to Modernism
Pope St. Pius X, in Pascendi Dominici Gregis, condemned the errors of modernism, which undermine Hope by denying absolute truth and eternal life. He stressed the importance of preserving Hope through faith and adherence to divine revelation: “Fides et spes vincunt” (“Faith and hope conquer”). Modernism, by rejecting the supernatural, leaves humanity in despair, whereas Hope restores purpose and direction.
V. Living Hope
The virtue of Hope is both a gift and a task. We, as Catholics, must embrace Hope through prayer, the sacraments, and acts of charity. By doing so, the faithful live out this virtue, trusting in the promises of God and awaiting the fullness of joy in His eternal kingdom. An embrace of this virtue is an embrace of the power to overcome despair and sustain the soul in its journey to God. Hope transforms suffering into sanctification, reminding us that spes vincit omnia—i.e., Hope Conquers All.