FROM THE CHAPLAIN
Jubilee One of the great concepts of the Old Testament was that of “Jubilee”. There is a law in the Accorbook of Leviticus which states thereafter at seven cycles of seven years (remember seven is God’s holy number) a year of the Lord’s favour was to be proclaimed. This was to be a year of forgiveness, reconciliation, and freedom. It was designed to give everyone a fresh start. The law reads: Then you shall have the trumpet sounded loud; on the tenth day of the seventh month—on the day of atonement—you shall have the trumpet sounded throughout all your land. And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family. That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you: you shall not sow, or reap the aftergrowth, or harvest the unpruned vines. For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you: you shall eat only what the field itself produces. (Lev 25:9-12 NRSV). As far as we know this law was only in effect for a short time around the time of 600 BCE. The law fell into disuse because it was hard to police and was open to conflicting interpretations.
Nevertheless, the concept lived on in the people’s imaginations. Six hundred years later, Jesus announced that he himself was the Jubilee: [At Nazareth in the Synagogue, Jesus] unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ (Luke 4:18-19,NRSV) This, of course is Luke’s summary of Jesus’ mission. The writer is saying that if you want to know Jesus, just imagine the year of Jubilee. Jesus is the one who gives a fresh start. He is the one who brings forgiveness, reconciliation and freedom.
The injustices of the past are put right, the disadvantaged receive their advantage, debts are cancelled, and the captives are set free. We are a school founded in Jesus’ teachings and, this year is our year of Jubilee. Our seven cycles of seven years are over. This 50th year is ours to look back and to look forward. We celebrate what we have done well and aim to correct the things we regret. Our Jubilee brings the first Jubilee’s original intent. We celebrate our 50 years by being a place where the poor hear good news, where those in captivity (in all its forms) are set free, where those in darkness begin to see, where oppression is banished and where the Lord’s favour is known. The Lord be with you! Father Geoff :: School Chaplain and Head of RAPS
