Do not Deal Unfairly, But Stand in Fear of Your God
Today's Mass Readings

I am sure most of us remember the turn of the century. The then Pope, John Paul II had declared the year 2000 as a Jubilee Year. The concept of the Jubilee Year is taken from today’s first reading from the book of Leviticus. The purpose of the Jubilee Year is most relevant today at a time when world poverty is increasing, when the gap between the rich and the poor is increasing and when the world is paying the cost of years of environmental irresponsibility. Surprisingly, the ancient Israelite society provided a just way to addresses the needs of the poor, the landless, the animals and nature. The logic behind the Jubilee Year was simple. Just as every seventh day was commemorated as Sabbath day, the Law prescribed that every seventh year would be a Sabbath year. On this year, the fields were to be left fallow and whatever grew naturally was to be harvested by the poor. Thus the land, the animals, and the laborers got rest. In this manner, seven continuous Sabbath years would account for fourty-nine years. The fiftieth year was always the Jubilee year. This demands of this year was even more radical:
• Every one of you shall return to his own property, every one to his own family estate.
•You shall not sow, nor shall you reap the aftergrowth, or pick the grapes from the untrimmed vines.
•Therefore, when you sell any land to your neighbor
or buy any from him, do not deal unfairly.
•Do not deal unfairly, then; but stand in fear of your God.
•Debts were to be forgiven,
•Land was to be returned to its original owner in case the land was taken as security against a loan.
•Slaves were to be set free
•Rest was declared for human beings, beasts, and the land.

In this manner, the foundation of Israelite society was based on justice and freedom. In contrast, in today’s gospel reading we encounter an unjust social set up. The life of a just and honest man (John the Baptist) is sacrificed because he spoke the truth. His life is sacrificed on the whims of a corrupt yet powerful member of the royal family.

Injustice continues in our time. The Church has responded to the social injustices of our time by formulating what is now called the ‘social teaching of the Catholic Church.’ The first of these encyclicals was published by Pope Leo XIII in 1870. Since then, the Church has written about almost all the injustices that plague the world. Just one example of this is “No longer Strangers,” a pastoral letter written by the US Catholic Bishops on the issue of immigration. As our commitment to justice in our society, let us be sure to read this document and do our part to create a just society.