This Christmas is unlike any other. It marks the beginning of a Holy Year, a Jubilee .
On Christmas Eve, during the Midnight Mass, the Holy Father will open the Holy Door, inaugurating the Jubilee Year. This sacred time will continue until Epiphany, 6 January 2026, when the Pope will ceremonially close the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Although in our Diocese of Christchurch the Jubilee celebrations will formally begin on 26 January 2025, we can already participate in the spiritual grace of the Jubilee. By prayer, acts of mercy and penance, and engaging in spiritual exercises and formation activities, each of us can gain the Jubilee Indulgence .
The theme for this Holy Year is “Pilgrims of Hope.” The Gospel for this penultimate Sunday before the Jubilee reflects this theme beautifully. Mary, bearing Jesus in her womb, visits her cousin Elizabeth. She becomes a true pilgrim of hope, bringing the light of salvation to humanity.
This Christmas and summer season, will you make your family visits a pilgrimage of hope?
Whether you are visiting or hosting, can you bring Jesus and His Spirit, allowing blessings and thanksgiving to flourish in your family?
Will you extend forgiveness and reconciliation, letting grudges, debts, and hurtful memories dissolve into the boundless mercy of Jesus’ Sacred Heart?
Let this Jubilee be a time to resurrect broken relationships.
Consider reaching out to someone who feels forgotten. Visit the elderly, the homeless, or anyone in need of connection. Write to a long-lost friend, relative, or grandparent, and let them know you are praying for them. In every encounter, be a messenger of hope. Make this Holy Year a proclamation of the Good News. The Spirit of the Lord is upon YOU, sending YOU to bring glad tidings to the poor and proclaim the Year of the Lord’s Favour.
(cf. Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1-2)
Why not also create a special space in your home as a Holy Door reminder? This sacred corner can symbolise Jesus’ daily visit to you and inspire you to carry His hope to others.
Let us embrace this Holy Year with hearts full of hope and faith. May it be a time of spiritual renewal and a profound encounter with Christ.
A Blessed Holy Year to us all!
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