Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Do You Want to Be a Star?
“But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.”
Do you want to be a star? Not the celebrity or actor kind of star, but a star that shines brightly, illuminates and guides. Points of Light was a national effort at recognizing and highlighting individuals and groups that led others through service that made a difference in the lives of others. It was about civic engagement and efforts to create opportunities for volunteering. Listen, learn, and act became a tagline for reaching out to those we didn’t ordinarily interact with.
Does that sound familiar? Pope Francis is intending just that in the worldwide Synod on Synodality. The job of the Church on earth is to shine light on and work for justice. This is how Pope Francis describes the work:
It means following in his (the Word made flesh) footsteps, listening to his word along with the words of others. It means discovering with amazement that the Holy Spirit always surprises us, to suggest fresh paths and new ways of speaking. … The Spirit asks us to listen to the questions, concerns and hopes of every Church, people and nation. And to listen to the world, to the challenges and changes that it sets before us. Let us not soundproof our hearts; let us not remain barricaded in our certainties. So often our certainties can make us closed. Let us listen to one another.
Opening of the Synodal Path
Pope Francis, Oct. 10, 2021
As we journey together in this process of listening, learning, and acting, we will discover many who have been the wise who shine brightly and those who courageously lead others to justice.
Who have been the persons in your life who have illuminated or shed light on something you were discerning? Who are the persons who shine brightly for you? What is it about them that makes them shine brightly, that guides and leads you to becoming a better person? Who are the Points of Light among us?
The prophet Daniel assures us that those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever. What does leading the many to justice look like today? Where is justice needed? Who are the stars of efforts at justice in our world?