Ruth 1: 15-16, Mark 12: 28-34
Our Christian mission and ministry are not just confined to the Church; it is beyond; it extends to every corner of society. I have decided to entitle my sermon as Synodality with other Religions.
What is Synodality? Why is it important, and why should we ponder upon it today?
Synodality is a term that comes from the Greek words “syn,” meaning “together,” and “hodos,” meaning “way” or “journey”. Synodality means walking together, listening to one another, and discerning the movements of the Holyspirit, etc. It involves collaboration, dialogue, and participation of all members of the church community. In the same way, synodality with other religions means walking together, listening to one another, and being involved together with all religions for the sustainable development of the society, envisioning harmony and peace in the society.
Let’s think of synodality as a river. A river begins with small, separate streams flowing from different directions. But as these streams merge, they become a powerful current flowing to the ultimate realm of the sea. In the same way, synodality calls us to merge our efforts with others in order to create a strong and better society unified towards justice, peace, and love in the realm of God.
In the Church, synodality is very important. To be synodal, the idea of One God is very important. In the same way, to be synodal with other religions, the concept of One God is very crucial. Without this base, synodality with other religions cannot exist.
When we see the Bible – it is a text of two religious lives. One is Judaism and the other is Christianity. In Judaism, the concept of One is well rooted in the everyday prayer “Shema” of the Jews. It is one of the important prayers of the Jews. It declares the faith and pledge of loyalty to one God. This prayer was even taught to their children. This Shema is found in the Torah, specifically in Deuteronomy 6:4 which says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Now, the same verses or words are reflected in Mark chapter 12, verse 29 where Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Pope Francis has highlighted synodality as a key aspect of the Church’s mission, emphasizing the need for collaboration and dialogue within the Church and with other religions. Synodality is seen as a way to foster a more inclusive and participatory Church.
Please don’t misunderstand the Synodality with Other Religions and Interreligious dialogue as synonymous. They are not same.
Synodality with other religions aims to often involve collaborative actions and joint initiatives, while interreligious dialogue focuses on conversation, learning and understanding. Synodality aims to work together on practical projects and shared goals, whereas interreligious dialogue search to foster mutual respect and understanding through dialogue and exchange.
Personally, for me Synodality means a joint effort of learning and understanding inside the church to mission and ministry outside the church. Because our mission and ministry have never been confined to particularity but have always been a universality. It’s a call to reassure and rethink our calling towards the people of other faith, Our neighbours.
Today, our world is facing so many problems, from interfaith disagreements to a polarized society.
These problems include the persecution of minorities, rising religious intolerance, and global crises like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, anti-Muslim hate crimes, and communal violence. India has witnessed high communal tension and violence in recent years. For example, the riot in Delhi in 2020 reflects the communal divide in society. Instances like the oppression of converted Dalits and anti-conversion laws remind us of the need for Synodality with other religions and reconciliation.
Love as the Foundation (Mark 12:28-34)
The Gospel of Mark was assumed to be written around 65-70 CE, in Syria during the time of persecution of Christians under the Emperor Nero who blamed the Christians for the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE. During this time there was a tension between Jews and Christians due to Jewish roots in Christianity. Around 70 CE, the temple was destroyed and the temple sacrifices were ended. It is believed that Mark narrates this in order to emphasize the love of God and neighbour to make a unifying ethic for both Jews and Gentiles, or to be particular, for Christians and Jews. Here, Mark presents Love as universal. In the times of Jesus, the period of second temple Judaism was from around 515 BCE – 70 CE, until the temple was destroyed. During this time, the Jewish often engaged in discussion about the law. Here there were 4 different Jewish groups namely Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots who philosophically differed about the law or were competing each other in interpreting the law. In Mark 12:28-34 The Scribes who were responsible for interpreting the Torah, brought a question about the importance of the law to Jesus. Which is the greatest of all? This was done to test Jesus and it was a genuine question to find what was most essential of all the law. Jesus answered by citing the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, about the love of God and joined it with Leviticus 19:18, “Love for one’s neighbour or in other words universality of God’s desire for salvation. Here Love is central and inseparable in “love for God” and “love for neighbour”, and serves as a human ethical behaviour. The Greek word plēsion (𝜋𝜆𝜂𝜎ι𝜊𝜈) defines not just the people next to us but extend beyond as a universal application that includes all humanity. Walter Bruggemann points out that Israel’s worship is not just about sacrifice or rituals, it is more beyond, it’s about justice, love and ethical living. The combination of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18 points that the idea of One God is incomplete without love for others. The Christopher Wright considers this particular pericope as a missional text where the love of God leads the believers to engage in acts of compassion across religious boundaries. He connects the idea of one God as a social justice that true faith is expressed in ethical behaviour and not just in worship practices. Hans Küng who worked as theological advisor for second Vatican council believes this particular pericope as a foundation for interfaith collaboration, since love for neighbour is universal principle. This particular pericope serves as a biblical foundation for Synodality with other religions encouraging us to love as a universal principle with faith in action, and Jesus as model of respectful engagement. Love begins with a relationship, Today I call you all to engage in interfaith friendships to work for common goals like helping the poor, care for creation, and to fight for justice and peace in the society. Let us see every person as a child of God, not as the “Other”.
Walking Together in Faith (Ruth 1:15-16)
It is assumed that the Book of Ruth was written during or after the Babylonian exile around 6th – 5th BCE. Scholars debate whether it was composed during the monarch, of 10th to 7th century BCE to support David’s ancestry, or during the post-exilic period around 5th century BCE as counter argument to Ezra and Nehemiah who opposed the intermarriage with non-Israelites. After the exile, Israel tried to rebuild their nation and religion so some leaders promoted exclusivism as religious purity encouraging the Israelites to separate from other nations.
The story of Ruth took place during the time of Judges (Ruth 1:1), It is a period of social instability. During that time Israel had no common or centralized leadership and it was facing problems like tribal conflicts, other nation invasions, and the people’s morality was reduced (Judges 21:25). Everyone did what was right in their eyes. During those time Israel saw Moab as their enemies and they banned them from entering the assembly of the Lord. Now during this period, the women situation in ancient society had little social power and were often dependent on the male for survival. Here in this story Naomi without husband and sons was very unsafe and Ruth as a widow was in an uncertain situation. Naomi asks Ruth to follow her sister – in – law Orpah, back to their people and their gods but Ruth denies to leave her.
Campbell highlights that Ruth’s declaration signifies her great personal ethics that go beyond cultural and religious boundaries. Here the willingness of Ruth to adopt Noami’s people and God shows the deep solidarity that can go beyond ethnic and religious division, serving as an example to understand other faith tradition. Like Ruth, Synodality with other Religions is about walking together with others in life struggles, supporting each other in faith and hope. Theologian Daniel Hawk points out that Ruth’s story challenges religious exclusivism and portrays that God’s love extends to all people. Katherine Doob highlights that Ruth’s faith was relational, not just theological. She showed that faith is lived out in relationships.
Synodality calls beyond dialogue to be in action, to move beyond the walls of the church and build a world of peace, justice and love. Today, I want to remember one of India’s forefathers who worked tirelessly for its betterment. M.K Gandhi, also known as the Father of the Nation, worked for religious harmony and peace in our country. There was an incident that was a remarkable history for religious solidarity in India. In October to November 1946, in the Noakhali district of Bengal there were a series of violent attacks among the religious communities Hindu and Muslim. The riots began on October 10, 1946, coinciding with the Kojagari Lakshmi Puja, and continued for about a week. Gandhi visited Noakhali and stayed for four months to help restore peace and communal harmony. He advocated for non-violence and communal harmony, urging people to forgive and coexist peacefully. His message resonated with many, inspiring them to work towards reconciliation. Local religious leaders played crucial roles in dialogue, organizing relief efforts, and promoting peace. They encouraged people to help each other, regardless of their religious background. Today I want to emphasise on the voice of our national father Mahatma Gandhi ji who was inspired by Jesus and took him as his Moral and spiritual teacher who said “The soul of religion is one, but it is encased in a multitude of forms”. Let us love others as ourselves, Let’s hear their heart, lets feel their soul, lets know their cries, let’s see their sight, lets lift them up, lets pray for them. Let’s all be one beautiful family Journeying together with God.
