Listen to Him

Dear Friend,

Peace and all good be yours!

A year ago this month, the parish embarked on our Synod journey with a morning of reflection, listening, and conversation. The preparation of the day and the day itself involved the hard work of patience, humility, and generosity. To my mind, the fruits of that labor in the life of the parish have been most evident in the great response to the adult faith formation sessions last fall, and continuing this winter, on the themes of our Franciscan tradition and the centrality of praying the Eucharist in our lives as disciples.

In his message for Lent 2023, Pope Francis focuses his own reflection on the synod process and its relationship to this Sunday’s Gospel, Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration. He writes:  “The Lenten journey of penance and the journey of the Synod alike have as their goal a transfiguration, both personal and ecclesial.” He then proposes two paths to follow “in order to ascend the mountain together with Jesus and, with him, to attain the goal.”

The first path opens with the Father’s voice pointing the disciples to Jesus: Listen to him (Mt. 17:5). How do we listen? First, writes Francis, by attending to the word of God offered at the Sunday liturgy. “May that word not fall on deaf ears; if we cannot always attend Mass, let us study its daily biblical readings, even with the help of the internet.” Listening also happens “in attending to how the Lord  speaks to us through our brothers and sisters, especially in the faces and the stories of those who are in need….”  

To read the full letter, click below. As our Synod journey continues we will be blessed by the practical wisdom it contains.   

Gratefully,

Fr. Dan ofm, Pastor