Bishop Paolo's Homily for the Special Mass of Prayer for the Synodal Assembly

31 May 2023 (Dubai). 

As per the invitation of Pope Francis for dioceses all over the world to dedicate the Feast of the Visitation as a special day of prayer for the Universal Stage of the Synod (October 2023 - October 2024), a special mass was celebrated by Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia at St. Mary's Dubai, the Vicariate's most famous Marian Shrine. 

Below is the full text of his homily: 

We have now reached the end of May, traditionally dedicated to Marian prayer. This month, we have committed ourselves to pray more fervently to the Virgin Mary, whom we recognize as the Mother of God and the Church. The month of May ends with the feast of visitation, inviting us to be joyful in the Lord, as we heard from the prophet Zephaniah. What is the reason for our happiness? The answer is simple: we are called to rejoice because the Lord is with us and for us.

The Feast of the Visitation gives us a vibrant image of this joy. Why does Mary go to see her cousin Elizabeth? Because Mary learned from the Angel that her barren cousin had conceived a son, John the Baptist, who will prepare the way for Lord Jesus. Mary understood that nothing is impossible for God. Excited by Angel's words she went to Elizabeth to share the joy of seeing the Lord change their destiny.

How sweet is the greeting that Mary and Elizabeth address each other! These women not only rejoice in what has happened to their lives. But each enjoys the joy of the other. Elizabeth delights in seeing Mary and recognizes her as the Mother of God. In her turn, Mary rejoices in seeing Elizabeth carrying John the Baptist in her womb. Together they praise God for his wonders. This meeting culminates with the singing of the Magnificat that Mary pronounces, recounting how God has changed the destiny of people.

Dear brothers and sisters, the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth is an example that we must imitate. Their meeting exemplifies how we must meet and welcome each other and walk together. This walking together is also the meaning of Pope Francis's invitation to all the people of God: to be a more synodal Church. This evening's celebration, in fact, has a particular ecclesial significance. Today in all the dioceses of the world, the faithful with their shepherds are gathering in a Marian shrine to entrust the Synodal Path to Our Lady. This Synodal path will have a crucial passage this October in Rome together with the Pope, the bishops, and a delegation of consecrated persons and laypeople.

Our vicariate knows the meaning of the synodal journey well. Under the direction of my beloved predecessor, Bishop Paul Hinder, our Church has engaged in the diocesan phase with great dedication. Many meetings, gatherings, many sharings took place in the territory of our Vicariate with the help of many lay faithful. Many faithful responded to the questionnaire on the life of our Christian communities. A tremendous mutual listening was achieved by gathering many experiences, desires, and dreams for the Church of the future. Our apostolic vicariate has already begun to be a synodal Church.

In the past months, the synodal journey's continental phase has occurred. Seven assemblies were held in different parts of the world, where for a week, the participants - bishops, lay people, and consecrated persons - gathered the experiences of and the proposals coming from their geographical area. We participated in the continental meeting organized for the Churches in the Middle East in Beirut. Now we look with hope to the next synodal assembly at the universal level.

Let us now ask ourselves: what is the foundation of a synodal Church, and what is its purpose? What is the meaning of listening and dialogue between all the faithful at all levels? There is only one answer: the rediscovery of our baptism has made us children of God. Being baptized makes us protagonists of the Church. The baptized person is the new man or new person says St. Paul in his letters. For this reason, every baptized person is called to live ecclesial communion intensely, to participate in the life of the Church.

But how is it possible that baptism makes us active in the life of the Church? The Vatican Council answered this question in the constitution Lumen Gentium, speaking of the people of God, it recalled that we are a prophetic people because it is animated by a sense of faith and by charisms, freely distributed by the Holy Spirit among the faithful for the edification of the People of God. With baptism and confirmation, we have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which gives us a sense of faith. It is that feeling for the things of God, which makes us recognize what edifies the Church and what is contrary to it.

We must cultivate a sense of faith to be able to welcome the various inspirations that come from God to improve the life of the Church: the feeling of faith grows when we participate in the life of the Church, we pray, we delve into the word of God and the Magisterium of the Church.

Furthermore, we must welcome and value the authentic charisms that the Spirit distributes in the Church. They are precious gifts that can also be different. The Holy Spirit, through charisms, renews and rejuvenates the Church. However, charisms are never for themselves but for the edification of all. In this way, the faithful, rooted in ecclesial communion, can serve one another. Charisms and ministries in the Church at the service of the mission that the Lord has given us: to bring the joy of the gospel to everyone.

Let's walk together in joy. We, too, are called to sing our Magnificat. We share our experiences. We share our desires and hopes. This invitation to walk together is what Pope Francis addresses to us: be a more synodal church. Let us continue to walk together and entrust to Mary, the woman of the journey, the synodal process so that it bears fruits of communion, participation, and missionary zeal. God continues to do great things, and we are invited to the joy of the gospel that no one can ever take away from us. It is the joy of knowing that the Lord is present among us. He loves us with a love stronger than death and evil, a love that will never end.

May Mary, Mother of God and the Church with her maternal love accompany us on the Synodal journey toward the Kingdom of God.