51.
From this point of view, if we recall
that Jesus came to "preach the good news to the poor" (Mt 11:5;
Lk 7:22), how can we fail to lay greater emphasis on the Church's
preferential option for the poor and the outcast? Indeed, it has to be said
that a commitment to justice and peace in a world like ours, marked by so many
conflicts and intolerable social and economic inequalities, is a necessary
condition for the preparation and celebration of the Jubilee. Thus, in the
spirit of the Book of Leviticus (25:8-12), Christians will have to raise their
voice on behalf of all the poor of the world, proposing the Jubilee as an
appropriate time to give thought, among other things, to reducing
substantially, if not cancelling outright, the international debt which
seriously threatens the future of many nations. The Jubilee can also offer an
opportunity for reflecting on other challenges of our time, such as the
difficulties of dialogue between different cultures and the problems connected
with respect for women's rights and the promotion of the family and marriage.
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