At the 2015 synod on the family, the assigned Gospel for the opening Sunday Mass was the teaching of Jesus on marriage and divorce, a providential reminder for the synod participants. This past Sunday, in the midst of the synod on youth, at the canonisation of Pope St Paul VI and St Oscar Romero, the assigned Gospel was that of the rich young man. Another bit of lectionary providence.
In his homiletic reflection on the young man’s encounter with Jesus, Pope Francis declared himself on a central issue of the synod. As I put it in the column here last June: challenge or comfort in the pastoral care of youth? Should the full challenge of Christian discipleship be presented to young people, even if it is demanding and perhaps intimidating? Or should a more comforting invitation be issued, lest young people today, like the young man of the Gospel, turn away?
