Dear reader friends,
began on Ordinary Jubilee 2025with the opening of Holy doors in Rome by Pope Francis (report on page 18), first in Saint Peter on December 24th and then in Rebibbia prisonon the 26th, and then in the diocese Sunday 29th.
Even though it’s just one word “ancient” (comes from a biblical book neglected by Christians such as Leviticus), whose contours always escape us (what is a Jubilee it must be re-explained every time, just as what it is must be re-explained indulgencesee our service on page. 34), is an event that manages to set in motion millions of believers in every part of the world. A sign of a wait that exists silently and hidden, of a search for meaning and words of hope that lives in us all.
I experienced the opening of the Holy door in my city, a Modena. It was a surprising and somewhat unexpected experience people of God: in procession towards the Cathedralwith candles in hand, in the incipient darkness, singing, praying, in the midst of a crowd that watched curiously. Step by step, we arrived at crossing the Holy doorafter the sound of jubilee horn.
Power of symbols: walking together, crossing a threshold. Leaving behind what weighs down daily existence, entering lightly into a new and bright space of life. I was struck by the heartfelt participation of so many faithful. I felt the joy of the celebration, solemn and simple, but I also felt a bit of restlessness.
I think back to the words of Pope Francis at the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s. Quoting an expression of Alessandro Pronzato (from The Christmas Novenabeautiful book!), the Pontiff said:
«Christian hope it is precisely the “something else” that asks us to move “without delay”, like the shepherds. In fact, we disciples of the Lord are asked to rediscover our greatest hope in Him, and then bring it without delay, as pilgrims of light in the darkness of the world.”
The grace of Jubilee it’s all here, nothing more, nothing less: «It invites us to rediscover the joy of the encounter with the Lord, it calls us to spiritual renewal and commits us to transformation of the worldfor this to truly become a jubilee time: you become one for our mother Earth…; you become it for i Poorer countries…; you become it for all those who are prisoners of old and new slavery».
Meet the Lord and his mercy (this is ultimately the meaning of indulgence), allowing ourselves to be renewed by it, nourishing attitudes of hope: «This is our task: to translate hope into the different situations of life».
It is no coincidence that the Pope wanted to open one Holy door even in a prison: we are all in some way “in chains”, in need of liberation and of hope. Just like those in prison. Not for nothing, one of the words of Christian salvation is “ransom/redemption”that is to say liberation of slaves: originally with a social sense, it has become a word to say the work of liberation from evil carried out by Christ with his Easter.
Dear reader friends, I wish each of you to be able to experience the grace of this with inner intensity Jubilee. We all need to «hold on to the rope of hope», as Francesco said a Rebibbia. To set out, each as we can, to let ourselves be met by Him who «makes all things new».
