Archbishop of Bangkok Urges Synodal Teams To Persevere When Progress Is Slow

Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arponrat of Bangkok urged Asian national synodal teams to persevere when progress is slow and trust that their efforts will bear fruit in God’s time, drawing on the Gospel images of the disciples’ abundant catch and the sower who patiently awaits the growth of the seed.

Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arponrat of Bangkok gave the homily at the concluding Mass of the three-day meeting of Asian national synodal teams on September 3 at St. Michael Chapel, Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Training Center in Sampran, Thailand. The gathering was organized by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Commission for Synodality.

More than 60 representatives from across Asia, including bishops, priests, religious and lay leaders, took part in the meeting, which focused on sharing experiences, challenges and practical steps for advancing synodality in local Churches.

Reflecting on the idea of success, Archbishop Vira said genuine achievement is not measured simply by recognition, money or status but by perseverance, growth and the good that one’s efforts bring to others.

“Success does not come overnight,” he said, emphasizing the importance of patience, discipline, consistency and learning from mistakes.

He connected this message with the Gospel account of the disciples who had worked through the night without catching any fish. At Jesus’ command, they cast their nets again and experienced an abundant catch.

For the synodal teams, the Gospel offers an important lesson: pastoral efforts may not always produce immediate results, but this should not become a reason to abandon the mission.

“Nothing is impossible with faith,” Archbishop Vira said, stressing that human effort and ability remain important but must be accompanied by trust in God.

He also connected the Gospel message with the parable of the sower in Mark 4, which had been highlighted by Fr. Clarence Devadass, executive secretary of the FABC Commission for Synodality, in his closing remarks to the gathering.

The parable describes seeds falling on different kinds of soil, with those that fall on good soil producing different levels of fruitfulness.

For the Archbishop, the image speaks directly to the synodal journey, which requires patience and confidence that efforts made today can bear fruit in time.

The message echoed Fr. Devadass’ closing call to participants earlier that day to return home with the “seed” they had received during the gathering and plant it in their own Churches.

The three-day meeting brought together national synodal teams from different parts of Asia at a significant stage in the implementation phase of the global Synod. The participants shared local experiences and explored how national teams can accompany dioceses, strengthen collaboration and help synodality become part of ordinary Church life.

The meeting also emphasized that synodality cannot depend only on programs, meetings or documents. Instead, it must gradually become a way of listening, discerning and working together in response to the pastoral realities of local communities.

Archbishop Vira encouraged the participants to maintain a positive attitude even when their efforts encounter difficulties.

A successful person, he said, is not someone who never fails but someone who does not give up. Failure can become an opportunity to learn, improve and continue moving forward.

For the national synodal teams, this means remaining committed even when progress appears slow or when their initiatives encounter resistance.

The Archbishop’s message also placed the work of synodality within a broader Christian understanding of mission: human effort matters, but its ultimate fruitfulness cannot be controlled.

The disciples cast their nets, and the sower plants the seed. The growth and harvest, however, ultimately depend on God.

As the Asian national teams prepared to return home, the concluding liturgy therefore offered both encouragement and a challenge: to continue working patiently, to learn from experience and to trust that seemingly small efforts can eventually bear fruit.

The meeting forms part of the FABC’s ongoing efforts to accompany the Churches of Asia in implementing the synodal journey and strengthening communion, participation and mission across the continent.