Pilgrims of Hope: Celebrating Our Jubilee Together
Dear Friends in Christ,
Every so often in the life of the Church, we are invited to pause, give thanks, and seek renewal through the celebration of a jubilee. A jubilee year is not simply a date on the calendar, but a sacred time set apart by God for renewal, freedom, and hope. As we enter into this grace-filled season, it is a blessing that both the universal Church and our local community have reasons to rejoice.
The idea of a jubilee comes to us from Scripture. In the Book of Leviticus (25:8–17), the Lord commands His people to mark every 50th year as a “Year of Jubilee.” This special time was marked by freedom and restoration: debts were forgiven, land was returned to its rightful owners, and the enslaved were set free. It was a powerful reminder that all things belong to God, that His mercy heals and restores, and that His people are called to live in justice and peace.
In the history of the Church, jubilees have become times of grace, pilgrimage, and reconciliation. Since Pope Boniface VIII first proclaimed a Holy Year in 1300, jubilees have offered the faithful an opportunity to renew their faith through prayer, penance, and charity. Many of us remember the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, which opened the new millennium with a call to conversion and hope. More recently, Pope Francis led the Jubilee of Mercy in 2015–2016, inviting the world to rediscover the Father’s mercy poured out in Christ.
Now, as the Church looks to the year 2025, Pope Francis has called us to celebrate the 2,025th anniversary of Christ’s birth under the theme Pilgrims of Hope. A jubilee is always a journey—an invitation to step out of our ordinary routines and draw closer to God. In that spirit, our own Diocese of Metuchen made a pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., to unite in prayer and celebration with Catholics from across our region. Pilgrimage reminds us that we are all travelers on the road of life, walking toward our ultimate home in God’s Kingdom. Along the way, we strengthen one another in faith, share each other’s burdens, and keep alive the hope that Christ has placed in our hearts.
This call to be pilgrims of hope also finds deep resonance in the life of our parish community. Here at St. Matthias, we rejoice in another milestone: the 60th anniversary of St. Matthias School. For six decades, our school has been a place of formation, not only in academics but in faith, character, and service. Generations of students have been prepared here to walk as pilgrims in the world—young men and women who bring hope, light, and witness to their families, workplaces, and communities. This anniversary is not just a celebration of the past; it is a renewal of our mission to form disciples of Jesus who can carry the light of hope into the future.
The beauty of jubilee celebrations—whether at the universal level of the Church, the diocesan level, or here in our parish—is that they remind us we are part of something much larger than ourselves. We are pilgrims on the same journey, bound together by faith and guided by the Spirit. Each jubilee calls us to conversion, to thanksgiving, and to greater generosity in how we live our Catholic faith.
As we step into this jubilee season, let us embrace the call to be Pilgrims of Hope. Let us commit ourselves to walking faithfully with Christ, to renewing our lives through the sacraments, to reconciling with those we have hurt, and to serving the poor and vulnerable in our midst. Together, as a parish, a school, and a Diocese, may we move forward with hearts full of gratitude and eyes fixed on the promise of God’s Kingdom.
May this jubilee year be for us a time of deep renewal, joy, and hope, so that we may continue to walk together as Pilgrims of Hope into the future God has prepared for us.
In peace ,
Fr. Tom Lanza
Pastor, St. Matthias Parish & School