8 “‘You are to count seven Shabbats of years, seven times seven years, that is, forty-nine years. 9 Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom-Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar; you are to sound the shofar all through your land; 10 and you are to consecrate the fiftieth year, proclaiming freedom throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It will be a yovel for you; you will return everyone to the land he owns, and everyone is to return to his family. 11 That fiftieth year will be a yovel for you; in that year you are not to sow, harvest what grows by itself or gather the grapes of untended vines; 12 because it is a yovel. It will be holy for you; whatever the fields produce will be food for all of you. 13 In this year of yovel, every one of you is to return to the land he owns.
(LY: ii) 14 “‘If you sell anything to your neighbor or buy anything from him, neither of you is to exploit the other. 15 Rather, you are to take into account the number of years after the yovel when you buy land from your neighbor, and he is to sell to you according to the number of years crops will be raised. 16 If the number of years remaining is large, you will raise the price; if few years remain, you will lower it; because what he is really selling you is the number of crops to be produced. 17 Thus you are not to take advantage of each other, but you are to fear your God; for I am Adonai your God.
Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)It shall be a jubilee for you. (Leviticus 25:10)
We’re not sure whether it was ever actually practiced in ancient Israel, but there’s something very appealing about the idea of a “jubilee” every fifty years—when everyone returns to his ancestral land, when debts are forgiven, and when slaves are freed.
We all long to return to our “roots,” to what has made us who we are. But can we really go back? Sometimes family reunions are fun occasions when people gather on the land their ancestors cultivated, celebrate their shared heritage, recall their most treasured memories, and affirm each other as valued members of the family. Even the eccentric uncle has a place in such a gathering, bringing a perspective or a sense of humor that would be missed if he were absent.
However, such gatherings can easily degenerate. Old patterns of competition resurface, people feel they no longer belong, or the place we recall so fondly turns out to be smaller and less lovely than we remember. And we have changed, for better or worse.
But our place in the family of God will never disappoint us! In Christ, God has given us his own life, along with all the treasures we could ever enjoy. He has given us brothers and sisters born in the same font, nourished by the same sacraments, and shaped by the same word. And we are all enriched as we share our unique experiences, insights, and gifts.
Because of the cross, we now live in a constant state of jubilee. Our debts have been forgiven. Our slavery to sin and death has been removed. We remain treasured members of God’s family, and we all stand on hallowed ground. Our Father will always welcome us with open arms!
So rejoice in your heritage today. Know that you have a secure place in the household of God!
“Father, thank you for making me part of your family. I treasure what I share with all your other children, and I delight in your unique call to me and to all my brothers and sisters.” Amen!
Psalm 67:2 (1) God, be gracious to us, and bless us.
May he make his face shine toward us, (Selah)
3 (2) so that your way may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
5 (4) Let the nations be glad and shout for joy,
for you will judge the peoples fairly
and guide the nations on earth. (Selah)
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
7 (6) The earth has yielded its harvest;
may God, our God, bless us.
8 (7) May God continue to bless us,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Matthew 14:1 Around that time, Herod, the regional governor, heard of the fame of Yeshua 2 and said to his attendants, “This must be Yochanan the Immerser. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”
3 For Herod had arrested Yochanan, put him in chains and thrown him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip; 4 since Yochanan had told Herod, “It violates the Torah for you to have her as your wife.” 5 Herod had wanted to put Yochanan to death; but he was afraid of the people, in whose eyes Yochanan was a prophet. 6 However, at Herod’s birthday celebration, Herodias’ daughter danced before the company and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser.” 9 The king became deeply upset; but out of regard for the oaths he had sworn before his dinner guests, he ordered that her wish be granted, 10 and sent and had Yochanan beheaded in prison. 11 The head was brought on a platter to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 12 Yochanan’s talmidim came, took the body and buried it; then they went and told Yeshua.
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