[Greek] συμφωνέω (symphōneō), [Latin] consentire, [Latin] conventio, [Latin] concordare: to be in harmony, to be in accord, to agree, to “sound together”, to have singleness in mind; Mt.18:19, Mt.20:2,13, Lk.5:36, Acts 5:9, Acts 15:15
Moral principles do not change even when there is consensus.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to sound together, to be in harmony, to agree, to conspire, and to come to terms.
Plato’s Republic 617b: “And from all the eight there was a concord of a single harmony.”
Plato’s Laches 263b: “For our deeds do not accord with our words.”
Plato’s Phaedrus 263b: “Then in some things we agree and in other we do not.”
Old Testament: This term means to commonly act (plan), to conspire, to have common acceptance, to have agreement, and to commonly strive.
Where two or three are gathered (Lev.17:6): This pertains to the investigation of bringing a person into custody for being accused of doing something evil in the sight of God. You shall bring this person into custody out to the gates for punishment. Only on the testimony of two or three witnesses shall this person be punished. An accusation from a single individual was insufficient to bring action against the person.
New Testament: This term means to agree and to match.
“Again, I say to you, if two or three agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by My heavenly Father.” Mt.18:19
In the heavenly court, Jesus is in the midst of these witnesses. If their prayer requests (petitions) are in accordance with the Father’s will, these will be granted to them.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloth.” Lk.5:36
It is unsuitable to combine the old and the new. Jesus’ teaching cannot be contained within the limits of the Mosaic law.
Why do you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Acts 5:1-11
- Ananias and Sapphira retained some of the land’s purchase price before the Apostles
- Ananias’ heart was filled by Satan
- Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit
- Ananias fell down and died upon hearing these words
- Sapphira fell down and died
- Ananias and Sapphira were not deserving of the honor accorded to them by the community
- A great fear came upon the whole Church
Activities of human origin: Acts 5:38
- Have nothing to do with these persons. Let them go
- It will destroy itself
Activities of God’s origin: Acts 5:39
- You will not be able to destroy them
- You may even find yourselves fighting against God
Synod of Synodalities summary statement:
- Desire increased laity decision making and responsibilities
- No one should be excluded
- Walk and listen to the people
- Seek consensus building (to “sound together” in agreement)
- Support and respond to those who are marginalized as a result of fidelity to Church teachings
- Discern together controversial issues and open questions
- Discern together whether a doctrinal issue can or must remain
- The faithful cannot err in matters of faith if they can manifest universal consent (Consensus of moral error does not make it right.)
Conclusion:
Symphony, symphonic, consent, consensus, convention, concord, concordance
Mt.18:15-17: This illustrates the church disciplining a sinner.
Mt.18:18: Binding (retaining) and loosing (removing and forgiving) alludes to clergy retaining and forgiving sins.
Mt.18:18-19: When Jesus states, “Amen, I say to you…”, Jesus indicates that He will soon say something very important.
Mt.20:13: The vineyard worker was upset because the latecomer received a full days’ wage. This alludes to God’s equal generosity to all.
Update: Pope Francis and his inner circle claim that they are seeking consensus with the people of God, yet exclude and marginalize traditional and conservative Catholics.
The Synod of Synodalities represents only 1% of total Catholics. This does not exactly inspire confidence for consensus!
The Synod of Synodalities seeks to find “consensus” by selecting hand-picked allies to approve their agenda.
The coordinators of the Synod could not promise to abide by Catholic principles as this Synod seeks the consensus of the laity’s concerns and desires.
The Synod is first seeking consensus to change the structure of Jesus’ Church into a worldly synodal Church with equal decision authority for both clergy and laity.
With this being done, the Synod will eventually seek consensus for their gender and secular concerns (outside of doctrinal and ecclesiastical matters): deaconesses, woman priests, greater lay Church management, married priests, removal of priest celibacy, acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex unions, etc). But the laity first must have this decision-making authority. The German Synod is already on the road for doing this!
However, the members of the Synod fail to recognize that they are praying for things outside established Church teachings. But they really do not care!
The Germans, seeking “consensus” in their synodal pathway, have gone off the rails doctrinally into heresy and schism.
Pope Francis and his inner circle are seeking to de-stigmatize, rationalize, and normalize homosexuality, a sinful disorder state not in accordance with God’s designs for marriage. Pope Francis is already setting the groundwork for blessing same sex couples. What do you think will come next? This sets the stage for the heretical creep for their intended desire to bless same sex marriages.
Pope Francis claims that the Holy Spirit was present at the German Synod! But the Holy Spirit cannot bless sin! What spirit is Pope Francis talking about?
When two or three are gathered at the Synod praying for something against Church teachings, these petitions are by definition are not in accordance with the Father’s will. And then you wonder why Pope Francis would use the term “Holy Spirit of Surprises”! What spirit is Pope Francis talking about?
Is Pope Francis testing the Spirit of the Lord by confusing God’s Spirit with a spirit which ratifies sin? This is unsettling and evil! A ‘Holy Spirit of Surprises’ sounds like a spirit that would justify sin!
Pope Francis has called for a paradigm shift in Catholic theology which engages with contemporary science, culture, and people’s lived experience as a starting point. “People’s lived experiences” sound like a code word for worldly values and sinful behavior!
Activities of human origin:
- German synodal path
- Pope Francis’ and his inner circle’s efforts to transform Jesus’ Church into a worldly synodal Church (in the image of man).
- Pope Francis finds himself fighting against Tradition, traditional (conservative) priests, and traditional (conservative) Catholics. (Not a good look!)
- St. Pope Pius X’s encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis (“Feeding of the Lord’s Flock”), written on Sept. 8, 1907, warned us about the Modernists.
- Pope Francis removes his opponents who dare to uphold Catholic teachings and those who rightly criticize him.
- Pope Francis calls for a paradigm shift in Catholic theology.
Activities of God’s origin: (very encouraging signs that the Church (with the work of the Holy Spirit) is moving back to what Jesus intended)
- More and more of the younger generations of priests (and seminarians) are becoming CONSERVATIVE and TRADITIONAL.
- The liberal and progressive priests are declining and the older generations of priests are dying out!
- More and more of us are becoming concerned and alarmed by the LITURGICAL CHAOS AND CONFUSION in the Church that has been brought about by the Modernists!
- More and more younger Catholics are becoming attracted to tradition! They are looking for something much deeper in their faith.