The Way of Jubilee is a spiritual path that follows the biblical concept of Jubilee, which refers to the discharge of debt, and the return of those alienated in bondage to their inheritance. The Jubilee Laws can be found in Leviticus 25, and a somewhat modified form in Deuteronomy 15 and loom large in multiple prophetic texts, most notably in Isaiah 61 – these laws are not particularly unique to ancient Israel (for an excellent discussion of the topic from an economic perspective see Michael Hudson’s work …and forgive them their debts). Jesus’ first sermon recorded in the Gospel of Luke was an announcement of the Apocalyptic, or End Times Jubilee, and when one reads the teaching ministry of Jesus through the Synoptic Gospels with the biblical tradition of Jubilee in mind, it becomes a kind of master key that unlocks a great deal about the nature and aim of Jesus’ prophetic teaching ministry. The salvation that Jesus was bringing has so many points of contact with the Jubilee tradition in Scripture that it would take an entire book to enumerate. Suffice to say, Jesus was not merely advocating the salvation of souls, but the kind of concrete existence in his Father’s Kingdom that would touch every domain of human existence. It is no wonder at all that Jesus was killed by the religious and political authorities of his time, his Jubilee teachings, if followed would spell an end to their authority and the corrupt systems that were the prevailing status quo of human civilization.
While I am currently developing Jacob’s Ladder, and will elaborate more on The Way of Jubilee, I will briefly summarize the system here. It set up along the Zodiacal Calendar to include a set of daily affirmations under the monthly period of each sign designed to help us internalize Jesus’ Jubilee teachings.
The Way of Jubilee is animated by a Four-Fold Love, which are extrapolated from the Jubilee material in Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah (symbolized in the Jubilee Cross by the Four Hearts):
- Abundance under the sign of Aries
- Belonging under the sign of Cancer
- Liberty under the sign of Libra
- Restoration under the sign of Capricorn
The Way of Jubilee is also animated by an Eight-Fold Bliss, which correspond to the Eight Beatitutes in Jesus’ Sermon on the mount (symbolized in the Jubilee Cross by the eight Golden Orbs on the tips of the cross):
- Ordinariness under the sign of Taurus
- Truthfulness under the sign of Gemini
- Gentleness under the sign of Leo
- Harmoniousness under the sign of Virgo
- Pureheartedness under the sign of Scorpio
- Peacefulness under the sign of Sagittarius
- Faithfulness under the sign of Aquarius
- Courageousness under the sign of Pisces
The Jubilee Cross is encircled with the twelve foundation stones of the Heavenly Jerusalem that signify the Twelve Apostles, as well as the 12 gates of pearl that signify the Twelve Tribes of Israel. These tribal seasons are arranged along the Zodiac in a way consonant with some of the traditions in Judaism, though there are other ways to arrange and understand the location of the tribes and their corresponding sign. Here, however, they are meant to signify the cosmic Kingdom of God in the New Creation where the family of God exists in perfect unity under the aegis of the Jubilee brought about in and by Jesus.
More to come later…
MONASTERY OF THE ORDINARY BETA SITE 