The head bishop of the Church in Malaysia said that for the Synod on Synodality to be successful and fruitful, the Church must “surrender the synodal process and journey to the maternal care of Mary.”
“We may think we are in control of our lives, but some crisis happens, and we realize we are not in control. For some of us, the Synod is a crisis for the Church, and we need to surrender, as Mary did, to God,” said Penang Bishop Sebastian Francis in his homily on the Feast of the Visitation on May 31, held at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“[Mary] did not know what was going to happen but completely surrendered her destiny,” the prelate said.
This day was also designated as a Marian Moment of Prayer by Pope Francis in preparation for the coming 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Bishop Francis emphasized that love is the root of the Synod’s mission, inviting every baptized Christian to do good to others “with Mary leading the way.”
“We are sent to be witnesses that encounter the world with hope, love, mercy, and joy,” reflected the prelate. “We are to replace worldly values with values of the Gospel, growing together in humility, service, and love.”
“We are to be missionary disciples… the world needs the joy of the Gospel, the mercy of the Father, and hope generated by the Holy Spirit, and Mary is the embodiment of all this,” he added.
Furthermore, Bishop Francis said the Synod is the perfect time to reflect on God’s purpose for each individual. Just like Mary played her role well in the salvation of humanity, everyone is called to do the same for miracles to happen as part of God’s plan.
“We need to listen to the Holy Spirit so we too can respond with haste, as Mary did,” he said.
The first part of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops centered on synodality, will be held on October 20, 2023. The second part is scheduled one year later, in October 2024.
In 2026, the churches in Malaysia, including Semenanjung Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, will gather for the First Malaysian Pastoral Convention, wherein a step-by-step journey as a synodal church participating in communion and the mission will be introduced.- Luke Godoy
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