Relying upon the Holy Spirit
Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
On 4th October, Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the Synod on Synodality will commence in Rome. It will run for the month, concluding on 29th October. It is the first of two sessions, the second will be held in October next year.
The Synod will involve 364 participants and, for the first time in such synods in Rome, will include 70 non-bishop members with voting powers, of whom 50 are women.
Australia will be represented by five bishops and five non–bishops. Preparation for the synod began back in 2021 and has involved an extensive consultation process in dioceses, in nations and across continents.
The Synod will explore new ways of exercising governance within the Church. In particular, Pope Francis advocates for the role of all the baptised in decision-making in the Church.
In the mind of Pope Francis the focus is to enable the Holy Spirit to be more effectively guiding the Church. He commented that he sees the Holy Spirit not only as the “soul of the Church” but also as “the heart of synodality.”
He called for the Synod on Synodality to “place the Holy Spirit at the beginning and at the heart of the work of the synod.”
He further commented, “The synod now taking place is — and should be — a journey in accordance with the Spirit, not a parliament for demanding rights and claiming needs in accordance with the agenda of the world, nor an occasion for following wherever the wind is blowing, but the opportunity to be docile to the breath of the Holy Spirit”.
As the Synod is about to begin the words from the Prophet Isaiah in today’s first reading are relevant. The Prophet urges us to be aware that God’s ways are high above our ways, his thoughts above our thoughts.
The prophet reminds us that God’s wisdom is far greater than human wisdom. What the Church needs today as it has always needed – divine wisdom and divine truth.
This divine wisdom and divine truth was definitively revealed in the person and teaching of Jesus Christ. Jesus boldly declared that he is the truth – the way, the truth and the life.
The Church has always looked to Christ and his teaching as the guide for how human life is meant to be lived. The doctrine of the Church has been grounded in the revelation provided in Sacred Scripture.
The Scriptures are and remain always the source of Church teaching and any response to the circumstances of the day must be tested against divine revelation.
The endeavour to speak forth the truth of God is assisted by the presence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, quite specifically said that he would send the Spirit as the Spirit of truth.
Further, he commented that this Holy Spirit would guide the Church into the truth. These are his words given at the Last Supper,
I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth (Jn 16:13).
Jesus then adds, “since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt”. The inspirations of the Holy Spirit are fully consistent with the teaching of Jesus.
The promise of the presence of the Holy Spirit is a great consolation to us in the Church. It is a guarantee that the Church will not fall into error.
The Spirit, as Jesus says, will not offer innovation but will simply confirm what has already been revealed.
When it comes to developments in teaching in the Church, they are a further depthing of the tradition and not change of direction, what Pope Benedict called the ‘hermeneutic of continuity’.
Pope Francis desires that a focus on synodality could become a way in which the Church is more open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
For this we should pray, asking that the Holy Spirit will indeed guide the synodal process about to commence in Rome.
While there has been much talk about changing the Church’s teaching on various matters, this is not the purpose of this synod.
As the Pope said, the synod is “not a parliament for demanding rights and claiming needs in accordance with the agenda of the world”.
Thus, it is most important that the synod does not become distracted by various groups pressing for this or that issue to be addressed. It is about seeking ways in which the Church can be more open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray that this is will be the fruit of the synod. Let us earnestly invoke the intercession of the Holy Spirit on the Synod on Synodality that it will actually enable the Church to be more faithful to the revealed truth and more bold in declaring it to the world.
Archbishop Julian Porteous
Sunday, 24 September 2023