Fear. Uncertainty. The feeling of not being enough. Overwhelming worry. We've all felt this way. Surely, at some point in your life, before going to bed, you’ve felt uneasy remembering something you did during the day: "Why did I say that? Why did I act that way? Everyone must have thought this or that…" Let me repeat it: we’ve all felt this way.

Before you keep reading, I invite you to do something: recognize Jesus’ gaze upon you. I don’t know where you are right now. Maybe in an oratory, in front of the Tabernacle, in a car (perhaps listening to someone read this aloud), or in your room, by your bed, trying to take a few minutes to pray. Wherever you are, think about this: Jesus is looking at you and is moved. He is moved because He loves you just as you are.

Every 25 years, the Church celebrates a Jubilee. God has willed for us to experience it at this moment in our lives. You’ve probably heard that young people are the hope of the future. Well, God wants you and I to embody this message. The Church reminds us that we have an unshakable reason to look at life with hope.

You might be thinking: Me? What do I have to do with this? Don’t worry. God sees the big picture. He trusts you to be part of this great masterpiece of history.

But then another question arises: How can we talk about hope when the world seems full of worries, anxiety, and tension? Pope Francis gives us the answer:

The hope the Church invites us to live is not based on our own strength or virtues. Its foundation is that God loves us today, just as we are.

Reflect on this idea. God (the Creator of the universe, the Painter of the oceans and sunsets, the Lord of the stars and planets, the One who knows the past, present, and future) seeks you, rejoices in your smile, and waits for you to speak to Him from time to time. He who covered the mountains in snow, thinking of the day you would enjoy seeing them, is moved when you visit Him in the Tabernacle, even if only for a few minutes.

Let this thought fill your heart. God is madly in love with you. And that is the reason for our hope. How could we have a pessimistic outlook when we know we are in the hands of the One who gave His life for us?

We were created out of love, created to love, and created to live in Him who is Love.

Saint Josemaría, the founder of Opus Dei, dedicated his life to sharing this message. What did he advise?

Look around you. I do, and sometimes I am frightened by what I see: illnesses I don’t understand, family members without jobs, friends suffering from sadness and loneliness, wars, poverty… But it is in these moments that the Church invites us to remember the central message of Christianity: God comes out to meet us.

That is why our faith is not just an idea or a way of life. It is a relationship with a Person: Christ. And in that relationship, everything finds meaning. We do not face difficulties alone: at every moment, we are accompanied by the One who can do all things.

Pope Francis says:

There will be moments of suffering. Sometimes, we will have to ask for forgiveness and learn to forgive. But the path before us today is an adventure in which we walk hand in hand with God, who trusts in us. You may feel small, but for God, you are everything. And that is what He wants you to discover in this Jubilee of Hope.

A challenge for you

Now that we have reflected on this, I want to propose a challenge. These ideas cannot stay just within us: we must share them with the world, with our family, friends, classmates, and coworkers. This Jubilee Year, you can be the protagonist of a revolution: reminding every person that they are loved by God.

Personally, it fills me with excitement to know that the Church trusts us to share this hope. At the same time, I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. Reflecting on this, I think I understand a little better what Christ meant when He invites us to "carry the Cross with Him." But it is not a burden that crushes us; rather, it is an opportunity to be close to the One who loves us just as we are. That is why we can take advantage of this Jubilee Year to be the Church, you and I.

How can we do this?

• Take care of your prayer life. How will you share a love you have not experienced?
  
• Be a better friend to your friends. Through your love and care, they will be able to sense God's love.
  
• Look at God as a Father. He cares for us, is interested in our concerns, and never leaves us alone.
  
• Prepare well for Confession. This sacrament is an encounter with God, who never tires of forgiving.
  
• Forgive. Ask for the grace to truly forgive. Is there a wound that has “scabbed over” in your soul?
  
• Keep your eyes fixed on Heaven. Never forget that the climax of our life will be our encounter with Christ—an encounter we already taste in every Communion.
  

These are just a few ideas. I'm sure you can think of many more. This year, you can lead a real revolution, one where many people discover that there is a God who loves them madly.

Are you in?