Bishop Michael Router, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Armagh (Catholic Communications Office archive)
- Homily of Bishop Michael Router for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Homily
Jesus in today’s reading from the Gospel of Saint Mark warns of a time of tribulation, when the earth will shake and even the stars will fall out of the sky. It does seem rather frightening, and it has been used by prophets of doom for centuries to prove that the end of the world is at hand. When we look closely at this passage, however, we find that even though it does contain a warning, it also contains hope for those who have faith. Jesus says that God will “send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds.”
The early Christians, who were among the first to receive these words of Jesus, as transmitted by Mark in the second half of the first century, were experiencing suffering and persecution because of their faith and they lived in a world where the effects of sin and evil were very evident. Such evil is still, unfortunately, rampant in our world today. War wreaks havoc and destruction on the lives of many innocent people in places like Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine and it is estimated that 5,621 Christians were martyred for their faith around the world in 2023.
Yet despite the suffering and sin that still plagues human existence the world has changed in one very significant way over the past 2000 years – the birth, life and death of Jesus Christ has brought an unquenchable hope into the hearts of all those who accept him as their redeemer. We who believe in him are the possessors of a hope that our pagan ancestors did not have, and our secular contemporaries fail to appreciate today. There is hope that war will not have the last word. There is hope that poverty and starvation will become a distant memory. There is hope that those who do evil will not prevail. And one of the greatest sources of hope of all is that death is not the end, that life will continue, that justice will prevail and that many people will, through the mercy of God, enter the peace and light of heaven.
It is our responsibility as the people of God to make known to others this hope that we possess. This is never an easy task because the Church in its humanity suffers from the effects of sin like every other institution, and often fails to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ in an authentic and clear way. Because of this reality the Church must continually reflect on its life and practice. In that task it calls upon the Holy Spirit to guide it, to lead it, and to discern how to continually renew itself for mission.
The recent synod entitled For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission, which came to a conclusion on 27 October, led the Church through three years of reflection and discernment. Its final document outlines a blueprint for action that will help all of us who are baptised to take responsibility for the mission we have received from God. I welcome its proposals, and I know that, despite our resistance to change, the plan it outlines will be fruitful and life-giving for Catholics everywhere.
The report, clearly and unequivocally, acknowledges the scandal of abuse and it emphasises the need for the Church to listen attentively and compassionately to the voices of abuse survivors to foster healing and reconciliation. It restates the need for accountability and transparency to restore trust and confidence. Without this starting point every effort to renew the Church will be fruitless.
I particularly welcome the report’s call for greater co-responsibility that includes a commitment to implement decisions collectively in a way that will involve all the baptised. This will build a culture of accountability and ensure the creation of Pastoral Councils in every diocese and parish. These councils will be mandatory and given an important and significant role in building communities of faith that cannot be sidelined or bypassed.
I am filled with hope that women, who are so vital to the mission, will be given a greater say in the decisions that are taken about all issues within the Church and that the formal Ministry of Catechist will give many women an opportunity to take a leadership role in parishes, in faith formation and in liturgical celebrations.
I also believe that the call contained in the final report to create a more inclusive Church where the young, the marginalised, and those of different faiths, are valued and listened to as sons and daughters of God, will broaden our scope for outreach and help us to discern a way forward together in faith.
Our commitment to ongoing faith formation will of course be central to this approach and the synod recognised that this is not just for the lay faithful but for all of us, bishops, priests and people, together. Particular emphasis in the final report is given to the formation of clergy, with a call for guidelines to incorporate synodality and ecumenical awareness in our training. The ongoing formation of bishops and priests will prepare us for roles that promote unity and inclusive decision-making within the Church.
Some of the commentary on the synod, unfortunately, has been dismissive and negative, both from inside and outside the Church community, but its fruits, as outlined in its final report, will be abundant and hope filled for those who have eyes to see the wider picture and whose focus is not limited to just a few issues of personal concern. It is our job now to ensure that its recommendations are implemented, so that the Church can increase its positive and transformative presence in a troubled world and continue to convey what it so desperately needs – the hope proclaimed by Jesus Christ.
ENDS
- Bishop Michael Router is Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Armagh. This homily was delivered during 11.00am Mass in Saint Patrick’s Church, Dundalk, Archdiocese of Armagh.
