In his Lenten message this year, Pope Francis affirmed the path of synodality as the road we must take in our journey to Easter. Reflecting on the Transfiguration of Jesus, he indicates the deep connection between the penance of Lent and the Synodal path of the Church. In our journey from Lent to Easter, “we are invited to ascend ‘a high mountain’ in the company of Jesus, and to live a particular experience of spiritual discipline… as God’s holy people.”
“Lenten penance is a commitment, sustained by grace, to overcoming our lack of faith and our resistance to following Jesus on the way of the cross.” The Pope tells us that the disciples needed to do this. “To deepen our knowledge of Christ, to fully understand and embrace the mystery of his salvation, accomplished in total self-giving inspired by love, we must allow ourselves to be taken aside by him and to detach ourselves from mediocrity and vanity.”
The fact that Jesus took with him three disciples to be witnesses of his Transfiguration, tells us that “He wants that experience of grace to be shared… just as our whole life of faith is an experience that is shared.” He continues, “For it is in togetherness that we follow Jesus… Like the ascent of Jesus and the disciples to Mount Tabor, we can say that our Lenten journey is ‘synodal,’ since we make it together along the same path, as disciples of the one Master… Both in the liturgical journey and in the journey of the Synod, the Church does nothing other than enter ever more deeply and fully into the mystery of Christ the Savior.”
This journey culminates in Jesus transfigured before the disciples: “ ‘his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light’ (Mt 17:2). This is the ‘summit,’ the goal of the journey. At the end of their ascent, as they stand on the mountain heights with Jesus, the three disciples are given the grace of seeing him in his glory, resplendent in supernatural light. That light did not come from without, but radiated from the Lord himself.”
Comparing this ascent to Tabor to a strenuous mountain trek, Pope Francis reminds us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, who is also the Way. He affirmed that “the synodal process may often seem arduous, and at times, we may become discouraged. Yet what awaits us at the end is undoubtedly something wondrous and amazing, which will help us to understand better God’s will and our mission in the service of his kingdom.”
He also explained that Moses and Elijah (signifying the Law and the Prophets), appearing alongside the transfigured Jesus, enriched the disciples’ experience. He points out that “the newness of Christ is, at the same time, the fulfillment of the ancient covenant and promises; it is inseparable from God’s history with his people and discloses its deeper meaning.” Likewise, “the synodal journey is rooted in the Church’s tradition and, at the same time, open to newness.” He affirmed that “tradition is a source of inspiration for seeking new paths.” However, he warned of the danger of being stuck with certain ways of doing things, as well as trying out new things without reflection and consultation.
The Holy Father stated that “the Lenten journey and the journey of the Synod have as their goal a transfiguration, both personal and ecclesial,” as individuals and as members of the Church. So that this transfiguration may become a reality, the Pope proposed two ‘paths’:
“The first path has to do with the command that God the Father addresses to the disciples on Mount Tabor as they contemplated Jesus transfigured… ‘Listen to him’ (Mt 17:5).” We need to listen to Jesus, first of all, “in the word of God, which the Church offers us in the liturgy.” Pope Francis encourages daily Bible study which can be done through the Internet. Besides the Scriptures, “the Lord speaks to us through our brothers and sisters, especially… those who are in need.” He emphasized that “listening to Christ often takes place as we listen to our brothers and sisters in the Church, which is important for the synodal process. He added that such mutual listening remains always indispensable in the method and style of a synodal Church.”
The second proposal is to face the Lord’s passion and cross with faith, hope and love. Overwhelmed by the transfiguration of Jesus and suddenly hearing the Father’s voice, the disciples “fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Rise, and do not be afraid’ ” (Mt 17:6). Here Pope Francis cautions us “not to take refuge in a religiosity made up of extraordinary events and dramatic experiences, out of fear of facing reality and its daily struggles, its hardships and contradictions.” He reminds us that the light that Jesus showed the disciples at Tabor is but “an anticipation of Easter glory.” Our experience of the Transfiguration of Jesus (which we can compare to the grace of certain powerful experiences of communion in our synodal journey) is not an end in itself, but a means of preparing us to experience his passage from death to new life with God.
The Holy Father repeats Christ’s words, “Rise and do not be afraid,” encouraging us to go down to the plain, to embrace the joys and struggles of our people, to be artisans of synodality strengthened by the grace of Christ who reveals Himself to those who listen and put his Words into practice.
