As we begin this Jubilee Year, we proclaim that Jesus is indeed our hope as we commemorate the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of Our Lord.
The Jubilee is intended to be an “event of great spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Church” and a grace-filled opportunity for every baptized person to enter more deeply into a personal relationship with Christ Jesus.
Pope Francis stated in his letter announcing the Jubilee 2025: “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart, and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently
desire . . .”
It is restoring this climate of hope that the Diocese of Madison wishes to foster through our Go Make Disciple evangelical efforts and the Into the Deep strategic plan.
Our local faith communities and all of us need to “proclaim from the housetops” (Mt 10:27) the Good News of the Incarnation and testify by our witness and words to the impact of this reality.
As the saying goes, we might be the only Bible some people will read.
During this Jubilee Year, let us recommit ourselves to live and to share the transformative truths of the Catholic faith with a greater intensity.
Start by intentionally living the Four Holy Habits: Go to Mass every Sunday and holy day; pray every day, starting with a little Scripture reading if you are not sure how to begin; go to Confession once a month; and make some form of sacrifice on Fridays.
By doing so, your family and friends might experience the presence of God radiating from you by observing your commitment to these practices and ask about them.
Then you can begin to engage in a spiritual conversation that may lead to you inviting them to consider doing the same.
Perhaps you might wish to continue the Walk With One initiative by asking Our Lord who might be someone in your life right now whom He longs to call to Himself.
Christ may want you to spark a relationship with them and lead them closer to Him through the Sacraments.
Implore the Holy Spirit to guide you in this heart-to-heart accompaniment that was introduced during Advent.
Walk With One was not intended to be a “one and done” activity but rather something that would be on-going and spiritually satisfying.
Each moment of our lives is an opportunity to be God’s instrument in the life of another person.
We cannot hope to transform our families, neighborhoods, and country unless we are willing to respond to this urgent call!
During this Jubilee Year we are invited to practice the art of accompaniment and to continue seeking out those who are lonely, lost, and longing for connection.
We can be instruments of invitation for those who seek that “something more” in life that can be only found in Jesus.
In his book Making Missionary Disciples, Curtis Martin devotes a whole section to the habit of “clarity and conviction about spiritual multiplication.”
The founder of FOCUS stresses that the principle of spiritual multiplication “beautifully illustrates the amazing potential impact one person can have in changing the world!”
He goes on to say, “God deeply desires for every person in each generation to come to know His love and mercy. He modeled the method to make this possible, and then commissioned us to imitate Him by making disciples . . . this generation is waiting for us to become what we were meant to be. Everyone on Earth is experiencing poverty of some kind, and they are waiting to be cared for by people who have experienced the enriching reality of life in Christ.”
Let us embrace the graces of this Christmas season and commit ourselves during this Jubilee Year to sow the seeds of hope in the lives of others.
Always keep in mind that God only wants one thing from us — EVERYTHING!
Only when we realize this fact can we begin to answer our call to be missionary disciples.
Michael D. Wick is the director of mission for the Diocese of Madison.