Dear pilgrims of hope,
does the Jubilee year feel like a burden to us?
We all have a lot going on. I can remember at the beginning of Covid, I was actually relieved that there were many things that I suddenly could not do and that my diary was empty. Then restrictions lifted and I promised myself that I would not allow my days to be filled again like before. Guess what? It very quickly actually became worse than before the lockdown.
I missed doing activities with friends, and worst of all, not being able to receive the Eucharist. But there was also more time available. Now every little thing extra that I need to fit into my day quickly becomes a burden. So, why should I be excited about the Jubilee year?
According to chapter 25 of the Book of Leviticus, “in the fiftieth year, the trumpet was to sound to proclaim a Sabbath lasting twelve months.” That got me thinking. If a Sabbath is a day of rest and dedicated to worship, then the jubilee year is a year of rest and dedicated to worship. Hence, it is not something extra, but it is the ONLY thing that we should focus on. It should be our PRIORITY. Not priorities.
How do we do this? Not by adding, but by subtracting. What can we give up, even if it is good, so we can focus our attention on God this year? So we can participate in activities like pilgrimages and attending Inauguration Masses of the Jubilee year without it feeling like a burden. But let us not treat this like a Lenten exercise. What we subtract has the purpose to be exchanged for joy. Like being on top of mountain after I long climb and finding rest. Because a jubilee year is a celebration and that means, dear pilgrim of hope, that this is an occasion for joy.
