Pan-Amazon Synod – deacon rudy's notes

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

Querida Amazonia
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

The Central Committee for German Catholics accused Pope Francis of a lack of courage for real reforms. Others from Latin America say the Pope’s document is demoralizing and painful. Still others say the Holy Spirit spared the Church from serious error. <1>

Welcome to the latest edition of All Things Catholic. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal and I’m so happy be here with you today! Together we are going to explore what it means to be Catholic. Today we are going to build a little on our discussion last we “On Change” and briefly discuss Pope Francis’ post-synodal exhortation on the Amazon, “Querida Amazonia.” Bear with me tonight. I think I’m catching the cold my daughter had, but don’t worry! I claim healing by the most precious blood of Jesus.

Ok, so what the heck are all the people in the intro talking about? What are they talking about indeed!

In early February, the Holy Father issued an apostolic exhortation following the Synod on the Pan Amazon Region. It’s important to note that this podcast will not try to unpack the Synod or the exhortation. There are many, many great articles out there that try to sort all of that out. What I want to do is walk through the concept and some facts to help us all better understand the purpose of synods and how they help the Holy Father.

Before we get started, perhaps we should clarify some terminology. First, what’s a synod? As we discussed in the All Things Catholic episode “On Change,” a synod is an advisory committee formed to discuss specific questions or issues. Synods have been around for a significant part of church history but have been more widely used since the Second Vatican Council. Synods can be organized by a bishop to consider issues for a particular diocese.

But the popes have also called synods inviting bishops and others to discuss broader issues. Synods do not define doctrine and are not legislative. If a synod is called by a pope, then the pope will issue a document called an apostolic exhortation, which is another term we should address. How are exhortations prioritized? An exhortation is considered to be the third most important document a pope issues, behind apostolic constitutions and encyclicals. In general exhortations encourage a virtue or activity.

Why call a synod at all – ever? Well, synods, like a synod called by a pope, offer advice to the Holy Father. In order to do that, a synod will involve a lot of people across the church and perhaps from outside the church. There will be a lot of discussion and deliberation. But of course, another goal is to invite the Holy Spirit to guide the discussion to realize the will of the Father. The Jesuit term for this is “group discernment.” <2>

Discernment is a super important term for Catholics and one we will need to explore in more detail in a future episode, but the idea is that we discern as individuals, and we discern in groups. This is important because sometimes I encounter people who think the Pope sits on a throne and issues pronouncements and proclamations to suit his will. That is just not true.

Let’s apply these ideas to the Pan Amazon Synod. One of the things that made the synod so unique is that it was called to address the issues of an environmental region. That’s a first, I think, in the history of the church. But that explains why the Synod was comprised mainly of the bishops, clergy, consecrated religious, theologians and laity from countries making up the Amazon region.

Pope Francis announced the idea of the synod in 2017. Between then and the gathering in Rome in October 2019, the bishops held numerous listening and consultation sessions primarily in the countries that make up the Amazon. There were about 260 events were held in the Amazon attended by about 87,000 people. <3> That’s very important. No matter what you think about the Pan Amazon Synod or any synod, I think it’s important to know that the Church takes listening and consultation sessions seriously. The point is to make sure that the representatives who make up the synod referred to as the synod fathers truly understand the scope of the issues they will consider.

Why was the Pan Amazon Synod so controversial? There were three issues that drew quite a bit of attention: the environment, women deacons and married priests. Some bishops called foul because they correctly said issues like women deacons and married priests don’t just affect the Amazon, but the entire world. In other words, they claimed scope creep of gigantic proportions. Of course, the Synod was controversial to some extent in Latin America as well, not just for these three reasons, but also for the discussion around indigenous people and their lands.

What’s so interesting to me is the breath of concerns and disappointments expressed by people over the exhortation. Remember, a synod cannot change church teaching and is not legislative. So, at no point should anyone have believed that the Pope would announce sweeping changes based on the Synod. That would have been extraordinary.

Remember, exhortations often encourage virtue or a specific activity, and Querida Amazonia absolutely accomplishes those goals. Pope Francis calls the exploitation of the poor an “injustice and crime.” In calling for protections for the poor, the Pope is reinforcing a major them in Catholic Social Justice. Another virtue he encourages us to have is reverence and care for God’s creation.

The Pope also encourages greater theological creativity to address shortages of priests in Latin America. Now this is the part that has drawn significant reaction from around the world. But perhaps there are two other virtues between the lines of this exhortation: patience and prudence. In the meantime, it’s not business as usual. Remember the Pope is calling for creativity and that means the Amazon clergy and laity have a wonderful opportunity to present their bishops with creative suggestions to help meet the needs of Catholics in Latin America particularly remote parts of Latin America. So, hopefully we see from Querida Amazonia fits into the themes of synods and post synodal exhortations. It really meets the technical definition. But I think it’s an important thing to reflect on – how the Catholic Church processes change.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal and next time on All Things Catholic, in light of the Corona Virus, we’re going to discuss sensible precautions and the practice of spiritual communion.

You’re listening to All Things Catholic.

This episode was produced by deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join us again next time and don’t forget to watch for the weekend edition where we break open the Word. Peace!

Notes:
<1> Charles Pope, Msgr., “My Reaction to Querida Amazonia,” National Catholic Register, 16 February 2020. https://m.ncregister.com/blog/msgr-pope/my-reaction-to-querida-amazonia, (accessed 20 February 2020).
<2> James Martin, SJ, “Five Takeaways from Querida Amazonia,” America, 12 February 2020, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/02/12/five-takeaways-querida-amazonia (accessed 20 February 2020).
<3> Hannah Brockhaus, “The Amazon Synod, by the Numbers,” Catholic News Agency, 11 October 2019, https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/the-amazon-synod-by-the-numbers-11205 (accessed 20 October 2019).

References:

Francis. Querida Amazonia: Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Holy Father Francis to the People of God and All Persons of Good Will. Vatican.va. http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20200202_querida-amazonia.html, 2 February 2020, (accessed 8 March 2020).
The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
Responsorial: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Gospel: Luke 17:5-10

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/100619.cfm

Before we get started, I’d like to ask how your homework went last week? Did you put yourself in the role of the rich man and write a letter to warn your family and friends? If you did, how did it go? Was it difficult? If you didn’t, why not? I’d love to read your comments. Head over to www.deaconrudysnotes.org and click on the title “The Sin of Pride.” At the bottom of the window, you will check “like” if you like the reflection, and you will also find a comment box. The only way I get better is with your honest feedback. But either way, I do encourage you to complete last week’s homework because it can be very helpful in our spiritual journeys.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus is continuing on his journey to Jerusalem. All of these parables that we’ve been hearing over the last several weeks have been given while on the road to Jerusalem. So, after addressing the Pharisees in Luke 16:14-31, he goes back to instructing his disciples like we heard in the beginning of this series, Luke 16:1. When we look at these parables as a whole, there are at least four themes that Jesus is teaching: scandal, forgiveness, faith and service.

First, the word “scandal” refers to a moral stumbling block that leads others to do evil – or to sin (see Catechism 2284). A couple of examples of this are those who act like the dishonest steward we heard about a few weeks ago or the rich man who ignored Lazarus. He emphasizes that leading little ones astray, meaning those weak in faith, see Rom 14:1; or 1 Cor 8:9. Jesus says woe against these people. He says it is better that such a person have a millstone placed around their neck and they be cast into the sea than spending an eternity in torment, Luke 17:2. Therefore beware! He instructs his disciples that they should not be like the Pharisees who cause others to sin.

Next, he talks about forgiveness. We see the need for this in the relationship between the angry older brother and the prodigal son. The older brother in many ways reflects the attitude of the Pharisees who despised tax collectors and sinners, see Luke 18:9. We need to be willing to forgive those who hurt us, but this is much easier said than done, right?

Jesus teaches a different approach. If someone sins, we shouldn’t just ignore it or sweep it under the carpet. Scripture calls for a fraternal rebuke, see Lev 19:17; 2 Tim 3:16; 4:2. But if he repents, if he is willing to say, “I am sorry,” like the prodigal son was willing to, see Luke 15:18, 21; 15:7, 10, then we need to forgive. How many times should we forgive? As many as seven times in one day, see Prov 24:16; Luke 17:4.

For us as Christians and disciples of Christ Jesus, underlining our call to forgive is the petition from the Lord’s Prayer: …forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us…, Luke 11:4. In other words, if we are willing to ask God to forgive us our sins, then we should be ready to forgive others.

Now is this easy? No, and that’s why in today’s Gospel, the disciples closest to Jesus, those who will become the apostles, ask Jesus to increase their faith, Luke 17:5, and this is the third lesson coming from these parables. They don’t think they can measure up to the challenge of forgiveness, isn’t that interesting? Those closest to Jesus didn’t think they could forgive so easily. Sometimes we fall into the trap of feeling unworthy, but passages like this from today’s Gospel remind us that we are not alone in feeling this way. Jesus responds by saying that even faith as small as a mustard seed, one of the tiniest seeds around, has great power. He says this little faith can tell a Mulberry tree, which has an extensive root system, to be uprooted and walk into the sea, Luke 17:6. Jesus tells us that faith, no matter how small, can do the impossible. I think that’s a message we often overlook.

Finally, Jesus talks about service. We hear this really unfortunate story about the ungrateful master who has no sympathy for the work his servant has done in the fields. He tells him to go and make something for him to eat. The master expects the servant to just do his job – the job he was hired to do – no matter how tired he is. The servant must carry on. As disciples, we too must carry on. We must do what God asks us to do.

That’s the lesson Jesus is giving us. This is especially applicable in the missionary work that the apostles will carry out. We see many examples of that, like 2 Corinthians 4:5; plowing to spread the Kingdom of God, Luke 9:62, 1 Corinthians 9:10; tending the sheep as pastors, Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 9:7; and giving them food to eat and drink in the Eucharist, 1 Corinthians 11:25-26. And of course, all these parables leading up to this lesson on service are happening as Jesus is walking to Jerusalem to face his death – and he knows it. The good and faithful servant must fulfil his purposes – he must do what he was created to do.

Homework! Having been nourished by the Word of God proclaimed and, in the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following one question this week, in addition to finishing your homework from last week if you are not done:

As a good and faithful servant, what is God asking you to do with your life? Are you living your purpose?

I think our homework will help develop us to become better disciples of Christ Jesus.

One final request: please join in me in praying for the upcoming Pan-Amazon Synod which begins today, Sunday. Good and gracious God, we thank you for the many blessings you have given us. Please forgive us for those times when we have ignored our role as steward of creation and taken this world for granted. We ask that you send your wisdom to all our elected officials that they may step up the challenges of safeguarding creation for today and for generations to come. We also ask for your blessing upon all those who will participate in the upcoming Pan-Amazon Synod. May all participants be guided by your Truth, and may all of us be guided by your Spirit of unity, fraternity and love. We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ. +Amen!

Well, that’s a wrap! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Notes: