Our faith is anchored in hope (the anchor is the symbol of hope). Christ’s death and Resurrection showed us God’s redemptive grace. We have hope for healing, forgiveness, and eternal life by believing in Him and spreading the Good News. Saint Paul writes, “We boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God … because God’s love has been poured into our hearts” (Rom 5:2, 5).
By Veronica Szczygiel
If the Pope himself invited you to a celebration, would you attend? Of course! And Pope Francis’ announcement that 2025 is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church is essentially a personal invitation for us to participate in a year-long celebration of reconciliation and renewal of our faith.
But what exactly is a “Jubilee”?
The basic definition is “special anniversary” and “season of celebration,” but that only scratches the surface. “Jubilee” comes from the Hebrew word yobel, which means goat horn. The Hebrews used a yobel to announce the beginning of a jubilee year, marking the occasion to conduct a spiritual “reset”: “For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you” (Lev 25:12).
Rest and restoration
The Old Testament describes how the jubilee was a time of rest for the land and restoration for its people. The jubilee was a year for social justice: there was a restitution of land to original owners, a forgiveness of monetary debts, and the liberation of any slaves or indentured servants. The Hebrews were asked to “proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants” (Lev 25:10).
The Hebrews ceased their celebration of the jubilee year in 600 B.C., when the Jews were held captive in Babylon, and have not resumed the practice since. The Catholic Church aimed to restore the sacredness of this celebration by instituting a jubilee year approximately every 25 years. In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII instituted the first one in Church history. Since then, the Church has celebrated 26 ordinary and three extraordinary jubilees. Many will remember the last jubilee year in 2015-16, the “extraordinary” Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Additionally, the Eastern and Western Christian churches’ calendars will providentially be in sync so that Easter will be celebrated on the same day, April 20. Pope Francis is using this as an opportunity to invite Eastern Orthodox communities to a discussion about unity, such as regarding calendars.
Lastly, this jubilee year will also help us look forward to 2033, the 2,000th anniversary of the Passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus, a truly momentous occasion in our faith history.
Rekindle our hope
While this Jubilee Year will celebrate important historical markers, the announcement is also the Church’s personal invitation for us to have an authentic experience of love of God, through reconciliation, mercy, and forgiveness. It is an invitation for us to rekindle our hope in salvation through Jesus Christ.
In fact, Pope Francis announced that the theme of this upcoming jubilee year is hope. Our faith is anchored in hope (the anchor is the symbol of hope). Christ’s death and Resurrection showed us God’s redemptive grace. We have hope for healing, forgiveness, and eternal life by believing in Him and spreading the Good News. Saint Paul writes, “We boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God … because God’s love has been poured into our hearts” (Rom 5:2, 5).
We should take comfort in our Christian hope. But Pope Francis knows that sometimes it’s hard to hope in the tumultuous times we live in. Evil, violence, and darkness exist tangibly in our world. In response to this reality, the Pope asks us not to be tempted into thinking that evil can overwhelm us. We can persist in hope by desiring and praying for peace in our world and for sharing an enthusiasm for life. He asks us especially to consider how to revive a joy for living that is not tied to materialism, appearances, or expectations.
Signs of Hope
One way to find hope is to share it with others. Pope Francis calls us to be “tangible signs of hope,” especially to the most vulnerable communities: the imprisoned, the sick and disabled, the youth, the displaced, the elderly, and the poor. He invites us to action during this jubilee year, writing that “all baptized with their respective charisms and ministries are co-responsible for ensuring that manifold signs of hope bear witness to God’s presence in the world.”
We should think deeply about the special talents that we each have and how we can use them to bring hope into our own families and communities, especially to the vulnerable populations who probably need hope most of all.
To be witnesses of hope, we need also attend to our own inner spiritual lives. The jubilee is an invitation to do so, mainly through pilgrimage and Reconciliation. The Pope urges us to rediscover the joy and healing of the Sacrament, encouraging us to approach Confession as an authentic encounter with God and to savor His forgiveness of our sins
As we are forgiven, we, too, should seek to forgive others. While we can’t change the past, we can change the course of our future by not letting anger or vengeance take hold of our hearts. Additionally, the faithful can obtain the jubilee indulgence, a gift of God’s infinite mercy.
Pilgrimage
Another fundamental aspect of every jubilee year is pilgrimage. The Holy Father encourages us to rediscover silence, effort, and simplicity as we traverse to holy shrines, always keeping Jesus close to us. There’s a host of activities and celebrations planned at the Vatican over the next year.
But we need not hop on a plane and travel far to go on our spiritual journey. Many of us may not be able to physically or financially do so, and listening to online Masses and talks can be a spiritual journey. But if we are able to physically journey, a nice way to engage in a pilgrimage is to visit a Marian shrine such as the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, a designated sacred pilgrimage site!
The Pope has written that Mary is the supreme witness of hope, as she never abandoned her hope and trust in God even when her Son was being violently crucified. Marian shrines, then, will be special places for the rebirth of hope during the jubilee year.
Anchor of Hope
The Jubilee Year is an opportunity for us to grow closer to our God, deepen our faith, and anchor ourselves in hope. It is a chance for the Church to unify in its defense of all life and bear witness to the rest of the world the light of Jesus Christ. We can partake in the celebrations by attending to our interior spiritual lives, through Reconciliation and pilgrimage especially, and by sharing our gifts and talents for the glory of God, particularly with those in need.
Let’s accept the Pope’s invitation and ready ourselves for a festive and fruitful Jubilee Year!
{shopmercy-ad}
