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“The second coming of Christ will be so revolutionary that it will change every aspect of life on this planet. Christ will reign in righteousness. Disease will be arrested. Death will be modified. War will be abolished. Nature will be changed. Man will live as it was originally intended he should live.” (Billy Graham)
Through the years there have been a variety of “soothsayers” so to speak who have predicted the time when the world would end. (Always sooner rather than later mind you.) With the casualties we hear about daily, the changing social norms, the greed that seems to permeate our culture, the suffering of those who are without family or shelter, and the divisive political stances—all seem to indicate the nearing of the end times. We may well be “going to h_ _ _ in a hand basket,” yet each generational change has likewise predicted such because of the ‘times’ they were experiencing.
Whether theological or social studies of the “signs” indicating the end, we simply do not know. What we do know is this: however possible, Christ Jesus will be visible and acutely seen coming through the clouds and descending to the earth amidst the people and circumstances. With that, as Billy Graham indicates, “disease will be arrested and war will be abolished.” Regardless of the so-called “signs of the times” Pope Francis reminds us what is essential as we live amidst the beauty, and at times, the confusion of life. “Jesus, God, is true man; with his human body he is in Heaven! And this is our hope, our anchor, and we are firm in this hope if we look to heaven. In this heaven lives that God who has revealed such closeness as to take the face of a man, Jesus of Nazareth, and he remains always God-with-us. Here lies the secret of this mission: the psheet detailing Synod information and questions for reflection questions was inserted in the bulletin. Likewise, the Synod questions are on our website. If you have the time and desire, please reply to the questions, whether on the website or a separate sheet that you may bring to the parish office or drop in the collection basket. Information received with be gathered on the deanery level of our diocese, collectively recorded and sent to Rome. As a worldwide Synod, the process will span two years and the guidance, hopefully, of the Holy Spirit. I appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts and hopes with each question or simply one or two that ‘strikes a chord’ with you. You may reply your thoughts through our website, or simply return your sheets to the parish office or drop in our collection.
As a beginning to the discussion and sharing of thoughts and hopes for our Church, the Synod Committee in Rome offers the following direction:
*Being synodal requires time for sharing: We are invited to speak with authentic courage and honesty (parrhesia).
*Humility in listening, not about engaging in a debate to convince others. Rather, it is welcoming what others say as a way by which the Holy Spirit can speak for the good of all (1 Corinthians 12:7).
*We are called to abandon attitudes of complacency and comfort that lead us to make decisions purely on the basis of how things have been done in the past.
*Synods are an ecclesial exercise in discernment: Discernment is based on the conviction that God is at work in the world and we are called to listen to what the Spirit suggests to us.
*Leave behind prejudices and stereotypes; listening is freeing our minds and hearts from prejudices and stereotypes that lead us on the wrong path, towards division.
*We can build bridges beyond the walls that sometimes threaten to separate us – age, gender, wealth, ability, education, etc.
*Give rise to hope: We are called to be beacons of hope, not prophets of doom; to inspire people, with no one excluded to create a vision of the future filled with the joy of the Gospel. A Church, capable of appreciating its own rich variety, embracing all those we often forget or ignore. By learning from one another, we can better reflect the wonderful multi-faceted reality that Christ’s Church is meant to be.
Thank you for your voice of hope and openness to the reality and ongoing grace of Christ’s Church, our Roman Catholic faith.
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI: “November at its best—with a sort of delightful menace in the air.” (Anne Greene)
resence among us of the Risen Lord, who with the gift of the Spirit continues to open our minds and our hearts, to proclaim his love and mercy even in the most resistant areas. . .”
Last weekend the
