POPE Francis officially declared 2025 a Year of Jubilee a papal bull, titled ‘Spes Non Confudit’, meaning ‘Hope Does Not Disappoint’. The Jubilee Year will begin with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve 2024. The theme of the Jubilee is ‘pilgrims of hope’ as the Pope is calling on all Catholics to renew in the hope of Christ, using St Paul the Apostle as a guide for this special year. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire; that is why the Pope has chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope.

 

The Jubilee Year, a time for healing and renewal, invites us to take stock of our lives, to repent, and to open our hearts ever more fully to the transformative power of God’s love. It is a time for us to forgive and be forgiven, to rebuild what has been broken, and to journey together as a community of faith. As we celebrate the coming of Christ, let us not forget the message of the angels: ‘Peace on earth, goodwill to all’. These words call us not only to peace in our homes and hearts but also to peace in our communities and the world. Pope Francis writes that a Synodal church is a church, that listens, which realizes that listening is more than simply hearing. It is a mutual listening in which everyone has something to learn. The laity, the clergy, the religious, the bishops, and the bishop of Rome: all journeying together, as one People of God, listening to each other, and all, as a body, listening to the Holy Spirit ‘The Spirit of Truth (Jn 14-17]’.

 

Here, the two catchwords are: ‘Journeying together’ and ‘listening’. The theme as suggested by the Holy Father Francis is ‘for a Synodal Church: communion, participation and Mission’. Let this Christmas season, illuminated by the grace of the Jubilee Year, be a time of renewed faith, deepened unity, and joyful service. May we, as a Church, continue to be a light to the nations, a beacon of hope, love, and peace. As we celebrate Christ’s birth, let us also celebrate the birth of new life in our hearts and our communities. At Christmas, we are called to remember that God’s love does not leave anyone behind. The poor, the oppressed, the sick, and the lonely were the first to receive the good news of Christ’s birth, and it is to them that we must turn with compassion and solidarity.

 

This is what it means to live the Jubilee: to open our hearts to the joy of the Gospel and share it with those most in need. Let us follow the example of the Holy Family in Nazareth, who lived in humility, simplicity, and love, and let us allow the spirit of the Jubilee to transform our lives. This Christmas, let us embrace the wonder and joy of Christ’s birth as we continue our pilgrimage of hope, and grace during this special Jubilee Year. Wishing you all a blessed and holy Christmas, and a joyful, grace-filled Jubilee Year. (The author is Archbishop of Nagpur (Catholic Church))