​​​​​Rev Fr Patrick Massang drew reference to Leviticus 25 on what and how Jubilee / Year of Favour came about; the Sabbath and Cycle of 7 in the book of Genesis.

The Year of Jubilee  = “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.” (Leviticus 25:8-11) In the Torah, the sabbatical year (Shemitta) and the Jubilee (Yovel) are closely connected with each other. After seven sabbatical years, the fiftieth was “consecrated” a jubilee year by the sound of the horn (Shofar) of the ram (Yovel).

The Year of Jubilee refers to the 50th year is a year separated out, set apart to be consecrated as a Holy Year of the Lord, proclamation of liberty where captives were set free, land returned to owners, debts cancelled.  It was a periodical celebration of justice and peace, in rediscovered harmony of relations between people and with creation; a general liberation of persons as well as property.

The Year of Jubilee is a year of restoration…to deliver us from the wrath of God, from the bondage of sin and internal damnation.  It has a Messianic meaning.  Jesus is our Jubilee and through Him, our sins are forgiven.  “…(9) that if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. (10) It is by believing with the heart that you are justified, and by making the declaration with your lips that you are saved. (11) When scripture says: No one who relies on this will be brought to disgrace, (12) it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: the same Lord is the Lord of all, and his generosity is offered to all who appeal to him, (13) for all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:9-13

In drawing a parallel to the season of Lent we are now at, we can anticipate our liberation in the 3 pillars of Lent, i.e., pray [deepening our relation with God], fast [from all forms of addiction and anything which draws us away from God], and give [forgiving others and sincere generosity].

All materials from Kenna Lau.

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