I rejoiced when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ And now our feet are standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem. For the peace of Jerusalem pray, ‘May they prosper, those who love you.’ (Psalm 122) HISTORY A pilgrimage to Rome during a Holy Year is an occasion to make reparation for sin and to renew one’s commitment to conversion of life. Since the year 1300 -- when Pope Boniface VIII declared the first Holy Year -- the Catholic Church has regularly celebrated Jubilee Holy Years. They usually take place every twenty-five years except for special occasions in which an extraordinary Holy Year is called. Nowadays they are timed to take place at least once within a person’s lifetime giving all people the occasion to come to Rome to experience a Jubilee Year. MERCY Pope Francis has been emphasizing “mercy” frequently during his pontificate, and he has dedicated this Jubilee Year to this theme. We need to constantly contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity; Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us; Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life; Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness. Anyone who enters the Door of Mercy will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instils hope. Adapted from Pope Francis: Bull of Indiction, “Misericordiae Vultus p. 2-3 THE DOOR “I am the door” (John 10:7). “This is the door of the Lord where the just may enter” (Psalm 118:20). The tradition of the holy door during a jubilee year dates back to the fifteenth century. In 1423, Pope Martin V opened the Holy Door of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran for the first time in the history of the Church. His successors maintained this tradition and extended it to the four major Basilicas: Saint Peter, Saint Mary Major and Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Christ referred to himself as the “door” when he said, “I am the door” (John 10:7). He wanted to make it clear that no one can come to the Father except through Him. This designation which Jesus applies to himself testifies to the fact that he is the Savior sent by the Father: the words of the psalmist are applied to Jesus in full truth: “This is the door of the Lord where the just may enter” (Psalm 118:20). SYMBOLISM To pass through the door of St. Peter’s from the portico outside into the basilica symbolizes passing from this world into the presence of God. It is like the old Temple of Jerusalem when the High Priest on the Feast of Yom Kippur passed through the veil covering the doorway of the Holy of Holies to enter into the presence of God to offer the sacrifice of atonement. Moreover, to pass through the door is to confess with firm conviction that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Lord, and the Savior who suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. With great courage, a person freely decides to cross the threshold leaving behind the kingdom of this world so as to enter the new life of grace of the Kingdom of God. When the door opens, the obstacles of passage to our Lord are removed. The Holy Door symbolizes: • The separation between inside and outside, between sin and grace (Micah 7:18-19) • Entrance to a new place, where there is mercy and not condemnation (Matthew 9:13) • Protection and salvation (John 10:7) • Leaving the world and entering Paradise Thus, the ritual of the opening and closing of the holy doors by popes during the Jubilee years emphasizes destruction of the wall: the opening ceremony consists of the demolition of the wall with masonry tools -- a hammer, a trowel, bricks, holy water, and coins. The decision to enter the Holy Door requires responsibility on behalf of the faithful when crossing the threshold. It is a decision which implies the freedom to choose, and at the same time the courage to abandon something and leave something behind (cf. Mt 13:44-46). Passing through this door means professing that Jesus Christ is Lord, in strengthening our faith in Him to embrace the new life He has given us. This is what Pope John Paul II had announced to the world on the day of his election: “Open wide the doors to Christ.” As we consider the holy door and particularly this Holy Year, let us recall our Lord who stands at the door of our hearts knocking. We must open our hearts to Him and cross the threshold of hope, striving for holiness. During this Holy Year, let us pray that we may leave behind obstacles of personal weakness, temptation, and sin so that we will have a holy union with our Lord. By passing through the Holy Door, let us rediscover the infinite mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of us. As you pass through the Holy Door, look at the people you are walking with. Think of them, their concerns, their intentions and prayers. Recall also your loved ones who are at home and are not able to be with you. Remember as well your deceased loved ones. Gather all these people in your heart and carry them with you as you pass through the Door of Mercy.
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Bret ThomanCatholic. Franciscan. Married. Father. Pilgrim guide. Writer. Translator. Pilot. Aspiring sailor. Archives
January 2023
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