The Jubilee Tree

By Sister Ann Carmen Barone, OSF

Meet Jubilee.

She was planted 25 years ago when I celebrated my Silver Jubilee. Look how she’s grown!

I can’t stop smiling. Our Jubilee celebration was a graced time to give thanks for 50 years of memories that show how we’ve grown and why we want to continue growing. Sharing the day with other jubilarians and Sylvania Franciscans, the Barone family and friends is not a once in a lifetime event. We are bound together in love. We believe that with the Spirit we can do more than we ever dreamed possible for God’s people.

Before liturgy the choir sang this song.

God’s Spirit rests on me.
God has anointed me

to bring glad tidings to the poor, to pris’ners, liberty,
to open blinded eyes, to heed the captives’ cries,
to herald mercy, joy and peace: A time of jubilee.

Spirit, dance of God throughout the ages;
Spirit, breath of the creating God;
Spirit, gift and promise for the living:
Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Spirit, courage for a pilgrim people;
Spirit, cloud by day and fire by night;
Spirit, designating kings, priests, prophets:
Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Spirit, urging us to follow Jesus;
Spirit, calling us through death to life;
Spirit, sending us on sacred mission;
Veni Sancte Spiritus.

(A Time of Jubilee by Michael Joncas)

I feel like we are being asked to join in a life-giving dance. The dance steps are the gifts we’ve been given to share. With God as our partner, how can we be less than courageous? He has and will continue to lead. Following doesn’t always come naturally but we can grow into it. Then we’ll know how to lead others into this dance to proclaim the Good News, to serve God’s people with joy and fidelity.

Jubilee is growing up and reaching out.
In this time of jubilee may each of us reach up in faith and out with hope.