Mark’s Gospel relates a story of Jesus and disciples traveling through Galilee (Mk 9:30-37). He overhears a conversation among his followers about who among them was the greatest. Jesus response to this is telling: “Whoever wants to be first must be last and servant of all.” He then focuses on a little child in their midst, pointing to the child as the greatest expression of God’s attention for the most vulnerable. To welcome the most vulnerable is the be open to God and a sign of God’s love for all.
The disciples who followed and listened to Jesus were to discover that what they heard was not just for themselves. The message was always to shared. Their mission was the mission that Jesus himself lived. With the gift of the Spirit, their small circle would grow into the Church that we are today. Down through the centuries, each generation of disciples took on the mission of sharing Jesus’ Good News broadly, creating an open and inclusive community of faith.
Over these centuries, Christian community found itself in a culture and society that was ever subject to evolution and change. Each era raised new questions of doctrine and of practice. Since the church was rooted in the culture and the society, it could not ignore the questions, nor could it reject the culture. As a Church, the community sought to respond to the change world and the cultures around it. Councils and synods are one of the ways in which our church, now a global community, has attempted to speak to and bring the faith to each successive era with its unique questions and multiple cultures.
We are now in the midst of such an experience, the Synod on Synodality. Each such experience shares the same goal, to share our faith with the people and cultures of each era. Each era and each culture is unique, and how we as a faith community respond is unique. We are to share the common Good News in ways that can reach the peoples and cultures of our times.
Three years ago, Pope Francis called for this Synod on Synodality. He recalled the experience of the 2nd Vatican Council (1962-65). Pope Francis expressed his hope and confidence for this synod of our global church: I am certain the Spirit will guide us and give us the grace to move forward together, to listen to one another and to embark on a discernment of the times in which we are living, in solidarity with struggles and aspirations of all humanity.
For 2 years, parish communities and national groups of dioceses prepared for the first session of the synod. It was an effort to involve laity and clergy, women and men from around the world. When the first session began on October 4, 2023 it gathered women and men, laity and clergy in Rome. They were there representing us all. The common identity that they shared was their common baptism into the Christian community. As it was expressed more than once, their baptism constituted their passport for their presence.
Back in 2021, when Pope Francis initiated this synod process, he expressed three hopes that we might have as church. First, that of moving not occasionally but structurally towards a synodal Church, an open square where all can feel at home and participate. Second, that we might become a Listening Church, break out of our routine and pause from our pastoral concerns in order to stop and listen. Third, [the synod] offers us the opportunity to become a Church of closeness. This is what Francis refers to as “God’s own ‘style’” – filled with compassion and love.
Now, one year later, we are beginning the second session of the Synod on Synodality. As it begins, there are the same hopes and dreams, that we may listen to one another and dream with each other as Church. With our shared baptism and common dreams, the laity and clergy, women and men at the second session (October 2-27, 2024) are call to hold to the same hopes for our whole, global faith community. We pray that our community may be a beacon of peace, justice and love for all peoples of our times.
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