Reading the Final Document: Lectio Divina resources
The last stage of the three year Synod journey was the creation of a Final Synod Document called ‘For a Synodal Church, Communion, Participation and Mission'.
The Final Synod Document a rich resource, beautiful but rather technical in places. Much like we might do with scripture, its possible to reflect on individual passages of the Final Document and allowing them to inspire us. These reflections are an opportunity to reflect and respond alone or in groups, and we will be updating this page as we go along.
-
Our first reflection concentrates on the definition of synodality. This passage from the Final Document is taken from 'Part I: The Heart of Synodality' which looks at how we are called by the Holy Spirit to conversion.
“Oriented towards mission, synodality involves gathering at all levels of the Church for mutual listening, dialogue and community discernment. It also involves reaching consensus as an expression of Christ rendering himself present... In simple and concise terms, synodality is a path of spiritual renewal and structural reform that enables the Church to be more participatory and missionary so that it can walk with every man and woman, radiating the light of Christ”
- §28, Final Document
Questions for reflection:
What stands out for you from this passage? Is there a particular word or phrase that is resonating in you?
What are the possibilities for linking "spiritual renewal and structural reform"?
What possibilities does it open up for you?
-
“Synodality is primarily a spiritual disposition. A synodal spirituality flows from the action of the Holy Spirit and requires listening to the Word of God, contemplation, silence and conversion of heart... A spirituality of synodality also requires asceticism, humility, patience and a willingness to forgive and be forgiven. No one can progress along the path of authentic spirituality alone; we need support, including formation and spiritual accompaniment, both as individuals and as a community.”
- §43, Final DocumentQuestions for reflection:
What does it mean to think about synodality as 'primarily a spiritual disposition'? What changes does this require for our Catholic life together?
In a world that rewards loud voices and polarising opinions, how practically can we cultivate 'humility, patience and a willingness to forgive and be forgiven'?
The passage states the need for formation and community. Who might my companions be on this synodal journey (they might not be the obvious people)?
-
“13. We encounter three disciples on Easter Morning: Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and the disciple whom Jesus loved. Each of them is seeking the Lord in his or her own way; each has his or her own part to play in enabling the light of hope to dawn. Mary Magdalene is so driven by love that she is the first at the tomb. Alerted by her, Peter and the Beloved Disciple make their way to the tomb. The Beloved Disciple races to the tomb with all the strength of youth. He looks intently; he is the first to understand, yet he lets Peter go first, he who is the elder, entrusted with the responsibility of leading. Peter, weighed down by his renunciation of the Lord, has an appointment with mercy, the mercy which he will minister in the Church. Mary remains in the garden. She hears herself called by name. She recognises the Lord. He commissions her to proclaim his Resurrection to the community of disciples. For this reason, the Church recognises her as Apostle of the Apostles. Their dependence on one another embodies the heart of synodality.
14. The Church exists to bear witness in the world to the most decisive moment in history: the Resurrection of Jesus. … The Gospels tell us that in order to enter into Easter faith and become witnesses to it, it is necessary to acknowledge our own inner emptiness, the darkness of fear, doubt and sin. Yet those who, in the midst of darkness, find the courage to set out as searchers discover that they themselves are the ones being sought. They are being called by name, offered forgiveness, and, in turn, sent out to their brothers and sisters together.”
- §13 & 14, Final Document
Questions for Reflection:
This is a particularly rich passage. Which word or phrase stands out most for you?
Which of the three disciples do you most identify with? What does this phrase mean to you: "Their dependence on one another embodies the heart of synodality."
These two paragraphs underline the missionary quality of synodality: "The Church exists to bear witness..." How could synodality help your local community to become more outward looking?
-
“Ecclesial discernment is not an organisational technique but rather a spiritual practice grounded in a living faith. It calls for interior freedom, humility, prayer, mutual trust, an openness to the new and a surrender to the will of God. It is never just a setting out of one’s own personal or group point of view or a summing up of differing individual opinions. Each person, speaking according to their conscience, is called to open themselves to the others who share according to their conscience. In this sharing, they seek to recognise together “what the Spirit is saying to the Churches” (Rev 2:7). As ecclesial discernment entails the contribution of everyone, it is both the condition and a privileged expression of synodality, in which communion, mission and participation are lived. The more everyone is heard, the richer the discernment. Therefore, it is essential that we promote the broadest participation possible in the discernment process, particularly involving those who are at the margins of the Christian community and society.”
- §82, Final Document
This section of the document is particularly rich and practical in its description of discernment processes, including in 83, the place of Scripture, and in 84, laying out step by step how such processes can be best conducted.
These passages are worthy of close study for anyone involved in pastoral councils, finance committees, school governors, clerical consultation bodies or indeed any group seeking to discern God's will.
Questions for Reflection:
In the Pentecost light of the Church, how do you respond to the first sentence: "Ecclesial discernment is not an organisational technique but rather a spiritual practice grounded in a living faith"? How does this change how we think about decision-making in the Church?
What work is needed for people to develop "interior freedom, humility, prayer, mutual trust, an openness to the new and a surrender to the will of God"? How can we support this at different levels?
"It is essential that we promote the broadest participation possible in the discernment process, particularly involving those who are at the margins of the Christian community and society."
This is challenging. In week 3 of our online bookclub, Manila-based theologian Estela Padilla describes how one diocese in the Philippines paid a day's wages to manual labourers so that they could take part in discernment processes. What do we need to do in our context to engage all the voices?
-
“Each Baptised person responds to missionary needs in the contexts in which they live and work, according to their dispositions and abilities. This demonstrates the freedom of the Spirit in bestowing God’s gifts. Owing to this dynamism in the Spirit, the People of God, listening to the reality in which they live, discover new forms of commitment and new ways to fulfil their mission. Christians, each according to their diverse roles - within the family and other states of life; in the workplace and in their professions; engaged civilly, politically, socially or ecologically; in the development of a culture inspired by the Gospel, including the evangelisation of the digital environment - walk the paths of the world and proclaim the Gospel where they live, sustained by the gifts of the Spirit.”
- §58, Final Document
Questions for reflection:
What are the missionary needs in the contexts that you live and work?
What possibilities are there for 'new ways' to fulfil your mission?
Do you think of yourself as engaging 'civilly, politically, socially or ecologically...including the evangelisation of the digital environment'? What would you need in order to take up your mission in this way?
-
“Practised with humility, the synodal style enables the Church to be a prophetic voice in today’s world. “A synodal Church is like a standard lifted up among the nations (cf. Is 11:12)” (Francis, Address for the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops, 17 October 2015). We live in an age marked by ever-increasing inequalities; growing disillusionment with traditional models of governance, disenchantment with the functioning of democracy, increasing autocratic and dictatorial tendencies and the predominance of the market model without regard for the vulnerability of people and of creation. The temptation can be to resolve conflicts by force rather than by dialogue. Authentic practices of synodality enable Christians to be a critical and prophetic voice over against the prevailing culture. In this way, we can offer a distinctive contribution to the search for answers to many challenges faced by our contemporary societies in building the common good.”
- §47, Final Document
Questions for reflection:
At a time when our public discourse is ever more divided, what possibilities do you see for a synodal Church to be ‘a prophetic voice in today’s world’
How do the synodal practices of listening, courageous speaking and discernment stand against inequalities, disillusionment and the use of force?
What might be our ‘distinctive contribution’ to the many challenges facing our world right now?
-
Check back here next month for the next reflection