Formed for Jubilee: God’s Call to Justice and Restoration

Formed for Jubilee: God’s Call to Justice and Restoration

Formed for Jubilee: God’s Call to Justice and Restoration

Jubilee Preaching Aid for September 7, 2025

The prophet Jeremiah is sent to a potter’s house, where he witnesses a powerful, simple image: a potter shaping clay on a wheel. But then, the clay becomes marred, and the potter does not discard it; instead, the potter reshapes the clay into a new vessel.

God says to Jeremiah: “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand.” This metaphor reveals a God who is not distant or indifferent but deeply involved in shaping the life and destiny of a people. It shows us a God who is willing to remake, reshape, and restore.

This image resonates deeply with the biblical concept of Jubilee — the sacred reset God commanded for Israel every fifty years. Jubilee was a time to cancel debts, restore lands, and free those enslaved, ensuring no one would be trapped forever in poverty or injustice. Jubilee embodied God’s desire to restore right relationships — not just between people, but also between people and the land.

In this Jubilee Year, the call to global economic and ecological justice echoes loudly in our world. Many low-income countries carry crushing debts that hinder their ability to care for their people or the environment. These debts often demand interest payments exceeding their budgets for health care, education, or climate resilience. This creates a cycle where nations are trapped — a modern form of bondage that echoes the very conditions Jubilee was meant to break.

Just as the potter reshapes flawed clay, God invites us to imagine a world reshaped by the divine Potter’s hand. A world where unjust debts are cancelled, so countries can invest in their people’s well-being and in protecting the earth. Where the economic and social inequalities of colonialism no longer exploit vulnerable nations or devastate ecosystems. Where restoration and healing are possible for both humanity and creation.

The ecological dimension of Jubilee is crucial. In Leviticus, the land itself was to rest during the Jubilee year, a reminder that God’s justice extends to all creation. Today, the climate crisis and environmental degradation disproportionately affect the poorest nations — those least responsible for the damage but most vulnerable to its consequences. Jubilee calls us to care for the earth as God’s precious creation and to seek justice and equity for those suffering its loss.

So what does this mean for us as God’s people? First, we must allow ourselves to be reshaped by God’s hands, becoming “clay vessels” willing to be filled with the desire to advocate for mercy and justice for nations that have been impoverished by colonial practices. As both individuals and faith communities, here are some suggestions for “Jubilee” actions:

• Donating to organizations working for global debt relief or fair trade, such as KAIROS and partners.
• Volunteering with local food banks or community programs that support vulnerable populations.
• Signing the petition and contacting your government representatives to advocate for policy changes that promote economic and ecological justice.
• Reducing your own resource consumption and waste to protect the environment.
• Organizing or participating in rallies and events that raise awareness and speak out against systems that trap people in poverty and destroy the earth. Subscribe to KAIROS emails to be informed.

Like the potter with the clay, God has not given up on our world, no matter how marred it seems. God’s hands are still shaping a new vessel of justice and restoration. We just need to yield to that divine shaping, joining God’s work to bring Jubilee to our neighbors, our nations, and our planet.

Rev. Marianne Emig Carr is a minister in the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC), serving the two-point Brockville-Caintown Pastoral Charge in Eastern Ontario. Prior to becoming a minister, Marianne was a corporate lawyer for 19 years at General Motors of Canada. Marianne serves on the Steering Committee of KAIROS, is a member of the PCC Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee and has been actively involved in refugee sponsorship efforts.