Hey Theopholis – lover of God?

Today Jesus declares “‘the year of God’s favour”. This is one of the most powerful passages in the New Testament. If Jesus were running for president, this would be his campaign speech. The ‘year of God’s favour’ refers to a Jewish concept of Jubilee where all debts are cancelled and there is a redistribution of wealth and property amongst the community. In the OT this is said to have been declared every 50 years as God interrupts the human systems that create poverty. Imagine a community that lived in such a way. When things went wrong or when people got into trouble, we declared ‘Jubilee’ and started afresh. Jubilee is so called after the ram’s horn that was used to declare it. Jubilee was meant to dismantle structures of inequality. It shows us God’s unending compassion, mercy, generosity and justice. It was a year of restoration. Remember the year 2000 (Jubilee) ‘Drop the Debt campaign’? Imagine a world where every few decades we declared the year of God’s favour and all debts were cleared, slaves set free, and wealth redistributed amongst the community. That is economics according to God. That is how the early Christians tried to live. And so we continue a reading of Luke’s Gospel – one that is concerned with justice, poverty and the rights of all.

“Although they heard you Lord, they failed to listen. They heard only what they wanted to hear. The truth hurt them, you made them feel uncomfortable, and they rejected you…Show us how we may seek your Kingdom and help to bring peace to a troubled world” (Christian Aid ~ Tony Singleton). Jane Mellett ~ Intercom 2013