For Christians, the millennium celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago and the history of that 2000 years. The birth of Christ is important because Christ's coming into the world ushered in a new era for humanity. Thus, the Millennium celebrates 2000 years of Christ's presence in human history, and as such, it celebrates God's love for humankind. For generations the Church has used Jubilee years as opportunities to pause and reflect on all that the Lord has done for us. The Church invites people to open up to Christ and reconcile those areas in their lives that need to be addressed.
Jubilees celebrate and commemorate the passage of a fixed number of years.
People are most familiar with wedding and work jubilees of 25 and 50 years. The unique character of the Jubilee points to a celebration of life, but jubilees also provide an opportunity to look forward in life. A jubilee is a time of celebration and an opportunity to begin anew, but it is also a time to seek reconciliation and to acknowledge past failings. This jubilee not only will mark the passing from one century to the next, it also will leave behind an entire millennium.