The Lord promised His people a year of liberation, a jubilee year, every fifty years. On this year, slaves would be freed, debts forgiven, and land returned to its original owners. The whole nation would be liberated interiorly and exteriorly.

As wonderful as the jubilee year was intended to be, historically its promise was never fulfilled. After hundreds of years of anything but liberation, Jesus made an amazing announcement. He declared that the jubilee year which had never been fulfilled would be always fulfilled — not just every fifty years but every year (Lk 4:18-19).

Jesus would have to be God to fulfill such a promise. At first, it appears that Jesus did not deliver on His promise. Does the world look liberated? Are most people free from debt? Is land distributed justly? Are people freed from enslaving manipulation? Obviously, the world has not had one jubilee year — much less perpetual jubilee years. However, followers of Jesus are free from sin, self-hatred, self-deception, self- destruction, slavery, death, Satan, and damnation. They have graces even better than perpetual jubilee years, and this super-jubilee will last forever.

Jesus is God. If He sets us free, we are really free (Jn 8:36). In Christ, be free fully, now, and forever.

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, February 1, 1997

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 4, 1997