Synodality requires time, courage, repentance, openness to the Holy Spirit and to each other

Feb 16, 2023

Homily of His Beatitude Anba Ibrahim Isaac, Patriarch of the Catholic Coptic church

My beloved brothers and sisters who are participating with us here, and who are following us from everywhere.

May the Peace and love of Jesus Christ be with you all

Since starting our preparations for the Synod, we are feeling lost, maybe because we are walking on an unusual road thinking about the essence of the church. A topic that is more a matter of life than theoretical ideas. This topic requires time, courage, repentance, and openness to the Holy Spirit, and thus to each other, and listening to what is behind the words.

Therefore, we felt as if the deeper we went into this ocean, the greater our ability to swim and enter to the depth.

We have just heard the word of God, the first chapter of Acts, tells us how the disciples have chosen another person to replace Judas Iscariot. We find that we are in front of a group that gathers with one heart, praying together, to choose the right person to be a witness with the group to the resurrection of Jesus.

As for the text of the Gospel from the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Luke the Evangelist, it narrates the miracle of feeding the five thousand.

We notice that the center of the group of the apostles is the person of Jesus, who was with them, and after his resurrection, became among them.

Hence, we say that Jesus is the one who brought us into communion with the Father, and from it springs our communion with each other and with others. This is the essence of the Eucharist that builds, nourishes and sends the Church to give the bread of life to the hungry world.

Let’s pray together: “Lord, you know what is in hearts. Show us your good will and how do you want your church to be in the third millennium?”

Grant us the grace of your holy spirit to lead us as the spirit led our mother the Virgin Mary, so we say the same, may your word to me be fulfilled. Amen.