Signposts On The Way

Communion and Mission are central themes for the Congar blogs this year. I have just been reading over the working document for the Synod of Bishops in Rome for October 2023. It is titled: For a Synodal church: Communion, Participation, Mission. (Google the title and you can have your very own copy!) What spoke to me most was the process called The Conversation in the Spirit. All the participants, which wondrously includes a significant number of lay women and men with a vote along with the Bishops, will listen and discern deeply for the direction of the Holy Spirit through this process.

First: there will be sharing of the fruits of personal prayer after having studied the document. This will be followed by silent reflection on what was heard. The second step is called: Making space for others and the Other. Having listened prayerfully, each will share what resonated or what resistance was raised by what was heard. A key question will be: “When listening, did my heart burn within me?” This will be followed by additional silence and prayer. Third: the participants will dialogue together to recognize convergences and to identify discordances and new questions, allowing prophetic voices to emerge.  This will lead to the question: “To what steps is the Holy Spirit calling us together?”

We need not wait for the Synod to make use of this process!  Is this not a practical and Holy-Spirit-led way of listening and responding that can deepen Christian Communion and Mission in our own lay ministry and parish groups?  Let’s give it a try…maybe practice first with your spouse and children and see where the Spirit leads!!!