” “"Spe salvi facti sumus". These are the opening words, in hope we have been saved, of Benedict XVI’ encyclical letter, the second one of his papacy after "Deus caritas est" dated 25th December 2006, presented in the Vatican this morning. "Redemption is offered to us, meaning that hope, a reliable hope, has been given us as a gift, through which we can face our present". This is one of the first statements contained in the Encyclical, in which the Pope wonders: "But what kind of hope is this if it can account for the statement that, starting from it, and simply because it is there, we are redeemed?" The "distinctive feature of the Christians", he answers, consists in the "fact they have a future: it does not mean they know the details of what is in store for them, but overall they know their life will not end in emptiness. Only when the future is certain as a positive reality does the present become liveable too". "The Christian message he goes on is not for "information" only but for "performance". This means: the Gospel is not just a communication of things one can know, but it is a communication that produces facts and that changes lives. The dark door of the future has been opened wide. Those who have hope live differently; a new life has been given them". (continued)” “
