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 December
2000
Farewell,
Jubilee
Was
it worth the
effort?
Okay,
I confess: I have not
been thinking too much
about the Jubilee
lately. A colleague
reminded me just the
other day that the
Jubilee was coming to a close
in January, and I
realized somewhat
guiltily that I had let
my preoccupation with my
work overrun my initial
Jubilee fervor.
Recalling the powerful
image of a tired Pope
opening the Holy Doors
made me wistful about
the year that was, and
disappointed that I had
not done as much as I
had hoped to celebrate
this remarkable year
with the Church.
Thinking
back on the three years
of preparation for the
Jubilee, countless
initiatives, resources
and programs assembled
across this nation and
the world, and the
millions of words
committed to paper in
official documents,
articles, and bulletin
announcements issued far
and wide, I posed the
question offered by
recent presidential
candidates: "Are
we better off today than
we were four years
ago?" Has this
Jubilee celebration
changed us, and made our
Church and world more
humane, more Christian?
Was it all worth the
effort?
You
know my answer to these
questions is 'yes';
Otherwise, I wouldn't be
writing on this topic!
Allow me to share three
gifts that I have
received from this
celebration that I hope
to take into the next
millennium:
1.
The Gift of the Gospel
It was refreshing to be
part of celebrations and
programs that had no
other purpose than to
proclaim Jesus as Lord.
We were not trying to
raise money, or increase
our core of parish
volunteers. We were
simply inviting people
to recognize the
presence of Jesus Christ
in history, their world,
and in their personal
lives. We were inviting
them to live their
baptismal call. Let us
never tire of offering
the Good News "free
and without charge"
(I Cor. 9:18) to all who
will hear it.
2.
The Gift of Christian
Identity
This was a remarkable
time to rejoice in the
unique way of life that
is Catholic and
Christian. It was
remarkable how many
times the secular media
captured many of the
pilgrimages, sights and
sounds of the Jubilee in
Rome and around the
world. It was a time to
marvel at the
traditions, rituals and
teachings and incredible
diversity that mark
Catholicism today.
Despite some
disappointments, like the
failed Orthodox-Catholic
dialogue, and the
controversy around the
declaration Dominus
Iesus, we also found
many occasions to
express our common
Christian heritage with
other believers.
3.
The Gift of Forgiveness
Many parishes and
dioceses used this time
of Jubilee to promote
forgiveness: forgiveness
of debts, forgiveness
for wrongs done to
individuals, groups, or
organizations,
forgiveness as that
power which can unite a
broken world. May we
continue to have the
courage to admit our
shortcomings, and to
reconcile with one
another.
The
Pope's closing
of the Holy Doors
during the Solemnity of
the Epiphany January 5th
and 6th will mark the
end of a
once-in-a-lifetime
celebration for
Catholics. As we prepare
to celebrate the
Incarnation of Jesus
this month, I pray that
the gifts of the Good
News, our Christian
identity, and Gospel
forgiveness will
strengthen us to
proclaim the One who
came among us...and
comes again in
glory!
Chris
Weber
Director
Catholic Education Ministries
of Central Maryland.
Copyright © 2000 by the
Catholic Education Ministries Center of Central Maryland, Emmitsburg, MD
21727. All rights reserved.
Comments about this article? Reflections
upon the Jubilee? Great
ideas that you want to share?
Send me your remarks via
Email...
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I
posed the question offered
by recent presidential
candidates: "Are we
better off today than we
were four years ago?"
Has this Jubilee
celebration changed us,
and made our Church and
world more humane, more
Christian?
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