Entrance Hymn: Holy God, we praise thy name

Reflection on Today’s Gospel: What does the term ‘apostle’ mean?

It is someone who is sent. Jesus himself was sent by the Father to reveal God to the world and to redeem humanity. Jesus chose twelve of his followers and they acted as his core group of collaborators. Their closeness to Jesus over the time of his public ministry was a preparation for their mission in life. Just as Jesus had been sent by the Father, Jesus in turn sent out his twelve disciples to make him known, initially to the Jews and eventually to the whole world. In today’s gospel he tells them: ‘And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand’ (Matthew 10:7). Later in that gospel we read the Great Commission, i.e. Jesus’ final sending out of his apostles:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Mt 28:18-20)

This commission is now the responsibility of the whole Church, not just the successors of the apostles. Pope Francis proposed this extension of the apostolic mission to all Christians as synodality. Pope Leo has continued this emphasis on synodality from the beginning of his papacy.

What is Synodality?

The term ‘synodality’ owes its origin to two Greek words sun (with) and hé hodos (the road/journey): we journey on the one road together. The basis of synodality is the Incarnation: the Son of God became one of us and joined us on the journey of life with its joys and sorrows, until he met with a most brutal death. And he continues to journey with us: ‘And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Mt 28:20). We too need to journey together. Though we have different functions in the Church and different vocations, nonetheless, we are all travelling together. The term ‘synodality’ owes its origin to two Greek words sun (with) and hé hodos (the road/journey): we journey on the one road together. The basis of synodality is the Incarnation: the Son of God became one of us and joined us on the journey of life with its joys and sorrows, until he met with a most brutal death. And he continues to journey with us: ‘And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Mt 28:20). We too need to journey together. Though we have different functions in the Church and different vocations, nonetheless, we are all travelling together. Synodality is not a new pastoral experiment which gives a platform to the theologically articulate. It is a constitutive dimension of the Church and always has been. Synodality is not a new pastoral experiment which gives a platform to the theologically articulate. It is a constitutive dimension of the Church and always has been. St John Chrysostom (347-407) stated that ‘Church and Synod are synonymous’.   

Who’s Who? The members of the funeral team are as follows: Fiacra Bracken, Bernadette Hegarty, Maeve Kennedy, and Christine O’Neill. They lead the prayers at the reposing in the funeral home the day prior to the funeral Mass. This is a sensitive ministry, and they need our prayers.