The New Year is here. We again
receive the gift of time. As women and men of the Word, as Dominicans, in these
reflections we have been keeping our ear close to the heart of the Church by
listening to our Shepherd. Francis. This attentiveness has brought us smack
against the topic of synodality, for this is where his developing thought for
the Church leads in what he has written from Joy of the Gospel, to Laudato
si, to Fratelli tutti, to Let Us Dream.
The ancient name for the
Pope is Pontifex, which means
bridge-builder, and that is exactly what this present Holy Father is doing: he
is building a bridge. From what to what we might ask? He is bridging from
Vatican II into the future of this community we call ‘Church.’ He is leading us
into a future we must create as we walk it- together. The time is past for just
taking ‘orders from headquarters.’ We need to listen to one another…to what the Spirit might be doing in one
another, and pay attention. This is very new for some of us…”Just tell me what
I should do!” we have said in the past. Now we are being asked to share what
the Spirit is doing in me, in us…and I need to pay attention to what is moving
me to courage, to truth-telling, and to making sure I don’t injure love. For
what injures love and unity is not of the Spirit. It is from darkness.
As we enter this New
Year, we will continue moving forward through our dedication to study. We will
seek light to do this inner work. We will be using two sources. The first is a
document from a specially appointed Commission. It is Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church from the
International Theological Commission. The second document has just been
released, and it comes from the General Secretariat of the Synod, called “Enlarge the space of your tent…” (Is
54:2). It is a Working Document for the Continental
Stage of moving the universal Church into a synodal rather than a hierarchical
mode of being and operation.
We will begin with this
new document, for it comes after some initial listening to the entire global body.
You can find the entire document here: https://bit.ly/continental-stage.
The title is taken from this scripture passage: “Enlarge the space of your
tent, spread out your tent cloths unsparingly, lengthen your ropes and make
firm your pegs.” (Is 54:2) In this one passage we are given the structure key
to expanding a tent. We need to spread out the cloths, lengthen the ropes, and
firm up the pegs. What an image for the Church…!
·
First, spread out the cloths unsparingly. Now
the cloths are what protect from the sun, the wind, and the rain. They need to
be spread out to protect and welcome those still outside this space, but who
are called to enter it.
·
Then lengthen the ropes: they hold the cloths together and balance the tension needed
to keep the tent from drooping with the softness that cushions movement caused
by the wind. So, if the tent expands, the ropes must be stretched to maintain
the right tension.
·
Finally, firm up the pegs. They anchor the structure to the ground and ensure its
solidity, but they are moveable whenever the tent needs to be pitched elsewhere.
So, the Church is called
to stretch out, but also to move. At its center stands the tabernacle, the
presence of the Lord. The tent is held by the sturdiness of its pegs, the
fundamentals of faith that do not change, but can be moved and planted in ever
new ground. The tent can then accompany the people as they move through
history. But in order not to sag, the structure of the tent needs to keep in
balance with the different forces and tensions around it. This calls for
discernment. The many reports coming in envision the Church as an expansive,
but not homogeneous dwelling, capable of sheltering all, but open, letting in
and out (cf. Jn. 10:9), and moving toward embracing the Father and all of humanity.
More to come. Fasten your seat-belts for an exciting ride…
