Hope Does Not Disappoint
A Year of Chaos, Connection, and Commitment
Guest Post – Gabriela Robles, Chief Executive
November marked a year since I met Pope Francis. When I look back on that moment now, I think not only of the joy of being in the same room with him, but of the theme that’s been echoing through this year as he decreed 2025 as the Jubilee Year of Hope. Pope Leo XIII’s words, “hope does not disappoint,” have been on my mind a lot. They sound so beautiful on paper. But if I’m honest, this has been a very challenging year where I’ve found it hard to be hopeful all the time.
With the challenges we’ve all been facing, both personally and on a grander scale, I’ve been asking myself what hope looks like when everything feels chaotic.
Did You See Christmas Trees Up Early?
Recently, I was in a room with many healthcare leaders, having intense conversations about strained systems, uncertainty everywhere, and palpable tension. As the session was ending, they asked for questions. My question seemed silly in light of our heavy discussion, but I was curious about why people put up Christmas trees in the first week of November.
It reminded me of 2020 when people put up holiday decorations months “early” to feel some light in all the darkness. This feels the same. It’s as if people need something hopeful in front of them to look forward to and be happy about.
I’ve leaned into that in my own home. I bought Thanksgiving ornaments so I could turn our tree into a Thanksgiving tree and extend the joy of celebration. I want to make time for a tradition of my mom’s, too. She would bake simple cookies, cut out pictures from the year, and tape them onto the cookies that she’d hang as ornaments. We never ate the cookies. Instead, it was the way she could capture the year’s memories and celebrate them.
I have found myself searching for an honest way to acknowledge how difficult this year was, yet to say that we showed up anyway – and we found joy along the way.
Connection During a Pause
It would be disingenuous to offer a glossy “Year of Hope” message that ignores the reality around us. We’ve been very intentional about staying close to our partners, funders, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. We’ve focused on connection while recognizing that nothing about this year has been normal.
Our partners felt uncertainty about the future of their programs, funding, and systems they rely on. Many are doing the same work they’ve always done, but with more barriers, more need, and fewer resources.
And yet, throughout all of this, we have walked alongside partners who are doing incredible, impactful, and essential work, all while navigating unimaginable stress.
This year hasn’t been about a shiny, inspirational hope. It’s been a gritty and grounded hope.
Marking This Year Together
As people put up their trees early and dig out the lights from the garage, I’m choosing to see those small acts as a sign of hope that does not disappoint. Not because everything is fine, but because we still believe it’s worth fighting for a more just and loving world.
