Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

THE JUBILEE YEAR
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….officially began on 24th December when Pope Francis opens the Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. At the end of the year, the Jubilee year will be brought to a close with the Holy Doors of St John Lateran, St Mary Major and St Paul’s Outside the Walls being closed. Finally the Jubilee Year will conclude with the celebration of the solemnity of Epiphany in Rome on 6th January 2026.
 
There are several events in scripture where doors were important physically and symbolically. They are gateways to the Divine and provide protection or freedom from suffering and danger. Some are thresholds between one place and another on the way to salvation. Meanwhile other doors signify boundaries between where God and people can dwell. In the ancient world the ordinary domestic door became a symbol of hospitality and safety.
 
A special sanctuary was associated with the threshold of the home.
 
In the New Testament, open and closed doors are mentioned as well as the people who knock on them, both literally and symbolically. A closed door is also used to celebrate humility such as when Jesus encourages us to shut our doors and pray to our Father in secret, rather than parade our piety in public (Matthew 6.6).
 
Perhaps the most powerful image of all is Jesus himself as the door; enabling us to enter into relationship with God (John 10:7-90) and transcending all previous access to the Divine in this one simple universal image.
 
THE DOOR TO NOAH’S ARK (Genesis 6:16)   The door of the ark symbolises God’s justice and mercy as, while judging a fallen world, he opens the way to salvation and world healing to the faithful Noah, his family and the chosen animals.
 
THE PASSOVER DOOR (Exodus 12:7-130)   God instructs Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. The Passover door symbolises God’s protection over the oppressed Israelites and foreshadowed the blood of the perfect, sacrificial lamb, poured out by Jesus on the cross.
 
THE TEMPLE DOOR (Kings 6:31-35)  The door at the centre of the temple symbolised the liminal space between God and humanity. Only the ceremonial pure high priest could enter the door to the Holy of Holies deep within the temple. Inside the Holy of Holies were housed the Ark of the Covenant and the Ten Commandments. Above them hung the temple curtain which was torn apart at the point of Jesus’s death signifying that direct access to God was now possible through Jesus for all people.
 
THE SHEPHERD DOOR (John 10:7-9) This door represents how Jesus is the way for us to be in a relationship with God. Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the Door to eternal life will always go looking for his lost sheep and will lay down his life for them.
 
THE DOOR OF THE TOMB (Matthew 28:1-6)  When Jesus died and rose from the dead, an angel rolled away the newly hewn stone that acted as the door to His grave. This door is the climax of the physical & symbolic miracle of the resurrection. It encourages us to believe that death is not the end but a new beginning in our faith journey to God.
THE DOOR OF FAITH (Act 14:27)   Despite persecution, Paul & Barnabus stayed faithful to the Good News and described their experience as God opening ‘a door of faith’ among non-believers through their preaching mission. 

Thanks to Shelagh Hetreed for preparing this.