Mary Kirk reflects on the parable of the two sons in this Sunday's Gospel; on how all of us have probably had the experience of giving both responses to God at various times in our lives. Times when we have made selfish decisions to later have a change of heart, and times when we have outwardly given the right response but did not follow it up with right actions.
As we look towards the opening of the universal synodal assembly on 4th October, Mary invites us to remind ourselves that the Synod calls on us as Church to move beyond barriers and self-made definitions that are not of Jesus, and to trust the Holy Spirit as we open ourselves to a conversion of mindset and culture, a conversion that will allow the Church to become more truly what it really is – in the words of Pope Francis, “ a “listening Church” and a Church of “closeness, compassion and tender love” which better reflects the “style of God."
Mary is a member of the Diocesan Synodal Team in Dublin.