Sabbatical
What does a sabbatical have in common with the Jubilee Consortium? At first, they might seem to be opposites – a sabbatical is a time of rest and study, the Jubilee Consortium is a hub of activity. But first appearances can be deceiving.
Both the original concept of jubilee and a sabbatical have their roots in the Jewish notion of Sabbath – a time consecrated to sacred rest and renewal in God. The jubilee was the Sabbath of Sabbaths, a time when the whole land was re-consecrated to God and society was reformed and re-ordered according to God’s justice.
The Jubilee Consortium is founded on this ideal of all people being in right relationship with one another and with God, an era in which we no longer have to worry about “at risk” youth because no one will be “at risk.” It is a vision of a time in which it is normal for all people to have equal access to quality health care, normal for people to live in communities that naturally promote health. It is a vision of a time when there is no more need for advocacy because justice will already be taken for granted.
On my three-month sabbatical, I am getting a taste of a life that studies and rests in God. The work of the Jubilee Consortium is to give people in our neighborhoods a similar taste of life ordered according to God’s will – a life in which young and old are healthy, safe, and nurtured, a time in which all people celebrate being God’s beloved.