To begin the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

This Sunday, in Churches throughout the world, the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy is beginning.   The reflection I shared with those who came to pray with us today includes some explanations about the meaning of Jubilee and the hope that this will indeed be a favourable time of blessing for all of God's people.

What should we do?

This past Tuesday, December 8, Pope Francis solemnly began the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy with the celebration of a Mass in Saint Peter’s Square, and by opening the Holy Door leading into Saint Peter’s Basilica.  Today, in all dioceses throughout the world, we begin to live the Holy Year of Mercy, a time that promises to challenge us even as it helps us to become a more welcoming Church, a more forgiving Church, a people who are keenly aware of the presence of God’s mercy in our lives.

Many of us may still be wondering: What is a Holy Year, and why is this one referred to as an Extraordinary Jubilee?  The word Jubilee calls to mind the concepts of jubilation, joy, exultation and celebration – fitting images for this third Sunday of Advent, traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday, the day of great rejoicing.  The English word Jubilee traces its roots to the Hebrew word Yovel, the ram’s horn which, according to the law of Moses, was sounded at the beginning of every fiftieth year to mark the beginning of a holy year, a year dedicated entirely to the Lord.

Therefore, the purpose of the Yovel and the year it began was to mark an interruption in the regular routine of life which is far too often focused on material living, and to open our minds and hearts to the needs of the spirit.  In ancient times, during a Jubilee Year, land that normally would have been farmed was left fallow.  Not ploughed or sown, whatever it produced was distributed to widows, orphans, the poor and strangers.  After the Hebrew people returned from the exile in Egypt, the ancient tradition of the Jubilee was further enriched with other aspects to underline the great sense of liberation: land and homes were returned to their rightful owners if they had been expropriated, slaves were set free and unresolved debts were forgiven.

John the Baptist and the people who were coming to be baptized by him would have known the concept of Jubilee very well.  Perhaps it was even in this spirit that they understood what he was doing.  Once they were baptized, they looked to him for guidance, asking him: What should we do?  (Lk 3:10)  His reply was to call them to live a time of Jubilee: Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise (Lk 3:11).  To tax collectors, who were well known to inflate the amount of money collected from tax payers, he said: Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you (Lk 3:13), and to the soldiers who asked, he suggested: Do not exhort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages (Lk 3:14).

The usual practice of the Church is to observe a Jubilee Year every twenty-five years.  The last such Jubilee was celebrated in the year 2000 to mark the beginning of the new millennium.  Normally, the next Jubilee would occur in 2025, but Pope Francis has called for an Extraordinary Jubilee to be observed this year: a Jubilee of Mercy.  It is his hope that this will be an occasion for all of God’s people to free ourselves from the corruption that prevents us from looking to the future with hope, because the greed (that comes from corruption) shatters the plans of the weak and tramples upon the poorest of the poor (MV, 19).

The Jubilee of Mercy also challenges us to reach out to those who have been wounded by our human tendency to be closed in upon ourselves: concerned with our own well-being.  It is our hope that this Year of Mercy will be a time when we can be reconciled with those who have been distanced from the Church, and with those who have been wounded by actions and words sometimes carelessly used.  Having recognized the great gift of the Father's mercy in our lives, we will then be able once again to sing aloud, shouting, rejoicing and exulting with all our hearts (cf Zeph 3:14).

This is the opportune moment to change our lives!  This is the time to allow our hearts to be touched! (MV, 19)  May it also be a time for us to rejoice in the Lord (Phil 4:4) and to allow the gifts of gentleness and welcome to be known to others so that together, we may all raise prayers and supplications of thanksgiving to our heavenly Father.