In the count down to the 1st January 2000 and the end of the second millennium and the beginning of the third, there has been a lot of controversy about how it should be celebrated. Many suggestions have been made about what will happen: bells to ring from every church; candles in every window; a Millennium Resolution/Prayer (with or without mention of Christ); the cancellation of Third World Debt; pilgrimage to the Holy Land; Indulgencies and 'The Dome'!
Cardinal Hume said recently, that the most important thing of all was to put 'Christ back into the Millennium'. That surely is the the key to it all, what will the Millennium celebrate if it is not the birth of the founder of the Christian Religion which begins on Christmass Eve not December 3lst. That will be the beginning of our celebration at St George's and will continue throughout the year 2000.
The Churches Together in England have said that the Millennium must consist of an opportunity 'to rededicate ourselves to the mission of Christ, and to do so in a way that will make demands upon us'. It has to be a challenge to commit ourselves anew to specific actions. In the Old Testament a jubilee meant the lifting of people's burdens, a release from slavery, returning the land which belongs to God, giving unfortunate people the chance to start again. It meant that society had to respond to the needs of the widows and orphans, strangers and outcasts.
In the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord spells this out 'He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour'. (S.Luke 4.8) The Millennium must be celebrated with the Spirit of Christ and we ought to work for the relief of debts and burdens and injustices that weigh down and crush people's lives. How that is to be done I do not know, but it must begin with prayer.
I shall write each month this year about the Millennium celebration. With my prayers and blessing as always.
Your Priest and Friend
Fr Malcolm Ferrier
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