Epiphany

Abbot Paul Stonham • January 9, 2019

The homily of Abbot Paul on the Feast of the Epiphany, 2019

The Epiphany is the greatest of feasts: Advent and Christmas prepare us for today. In the early Church it ranked with Easter and Pentecost, which is why we solemnly read today the proclamation of Easter. Although we now emphasise the coming of the Wise Men and Christ’s manifestation to the Gentiles, the Epiphany celebrates the threefold revelation of Christ to the world: his Birth at Bethlehem, his Baptism in the Jordan and the first Miracle at Cana in Galilee. Known as Easter in Winter, it was the day set apart for the rites of Christian Initiation.

Those who should have known better, for they belonged to the chosen people and had the Scriptures to guide them, King Herod and his court knew nothing about Jesus. Caught up in their own interests, they were ignorant of his birth and, when they heard the news from the Magi, their reaction was the massacre of innocent children to rid themselves of the Christ Child. Those who came from afar and had nothing to guide them but a star, “were filled with great joy” when they saw its light. “They saw the Child with Mary his mother and falling to their knees, they adored him.” By their gifts they showed the depth of their faith and generosity of their love. They recognised the Child to be the Messiah King, God incarnate and Saviour of the world. When they speak of Jesus, they use the very words that on Good Friday will be nailed to the Cross: “The King of the Jews”.

What about us? Would we cross deserts and mountains to follow a star? If it came to rest over a stable, would we stop and go in, or would we rush on, looking for something grander and more in keeping with our concept of God? If we saw a poor child in a manger, would we kneel and adore or would we put away our expensive gifts and keep them for someone else? Do we accept John the Baptist’s testimony about the voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him”? Do we follow Our Lady’s instruction to the disciples at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you”?

The Epiphany invites us to live the gift of faith with total conviction. In the Ambrosian Sacramentary we find this prayer over the gifts for today’s Mass. “Receive, Lord, in your goodness this sacrifice of praise that we offer as we celebrate the beginnings of our vocation to salvation.” In Christ, God has called us to salvation. That is our vocation. By the light of a star the Magi discovered their vocation. They were called by God to follow his light, for which they had to forsake everything else. In obedience to his will, they fixed their gaze on the star, which led them to adore Christ, who is the light of the world, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.

I believe that we, too, have seen the star and have followed its light. In obedience to God’s call, we have embraced our own vocation to salvation. In the stable at Bethlehem, in the Babe lying in the manger, we too have recognised the Word made flesh and we kneel in adoration with Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the angels and the Magi. The light of the star leads us to Christ, who is the light of the world. In Christ all has been revealed. In him we find more than we can ever ask for or desire. To Him alone be glory, praise and thanksgiving for ever. Amen.

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Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB RIP Given at his funeral by Dom Alexander Kenyon Baby Jean Pierre (Mark) Jabale was born on October 16th, 1933, in Alexandria, Egypt. As he said, himself, his background could be considered “cosmopolitan”: his father was Lebanese / French and his Mother, British / Greek / French. He also reminded people that he wasn’t Egyptian. Through his mother, Arlette, he was related to St. Jean Vianney, so it was, perhaps, no surprise that he followed in his priestly footsteps. His father, Jean, was MD of Fiat and Simca cars Europe and, maybe surprisingly or not, he did love a car – not, however, Italian cars, but German; he loved his Audis. Perhaps we should begin today by remembering his mother and father, his brothers Christian and Paul and his nieces, here today, Aline and Nathalie and Isabelle and their families – they were so dear to him and he to them and I know they miss him enormously. Young Jean wanted to join the Navy and came to England, to Belmont Abbey school but the Lord had other ideas – he ended up joining the rather land locked monastery, our dear, late Fr. Raymund opining that he wouldn’t last a month. After a rather uninspiring course of priestly studies (his words, not mine) he studied for a Licentiate in French literature in Fribourg, then a Dip Ed at Strawberry Hill and played Rugby there – the Papist Witch Doctor as he was affectionately known. Teaching followed, at Belmont, Housemaster, acting Headmaster, then to Alderwasley, our prep school in Derbyshire as Headmaster, and then back to Belmont soon after as Headmaster. In 1983 he went to Peru to build our first monastery there only to realise there was little money. So, he returned to the UK to put in a stint of fundraising with his usual zeal and determination. With his mission accomplished he was asked by Abbot Alan to return to Belmont as his prior in 1986 – Peru remained close to his heart. In 1993 he was elected Abbot. In his time as Abbot, he had to preside over the closure of the school, necessary but no less painful for him. In 2000 he was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Menevia and succeeded Bishop Mullins in 2001. He retired as Ordinary in 2008 and “retired” to Chipping Norton as parish priest, then Hendon, saying Mass for the nuns and helping with confirmations. After a spell at Archbishop’s House, Westminster, living with his great friend Cardinal Nichols, he came home to Belmont – it was as though he had never been away and he loved being back in the monastery, particularly praying the Office with the community. That’s the list, of sorts, but it doesn’t really say “who” he was. I haven’t mentioned his outstanding contribution to rowing – the 1979 coxless, lightweight four gold medal at the world championships in Bled, which almost didn’t happen as, at the last minute, he was told there was no money to send the crew. He begged, cajoled and got them there – the video footage of the final is compelling. He transformed Henley Royal Regatta, writing a computer programme for the race results – he was well ahead of his time. He coached the Oxford Boat, ran the Heads of the River Schools Regatta, and more. What an achievement from someone who had never sat in a boat but learned on the job, as he said, “from books, mainly”. It was his determination, his commitment, his love of people and his drive to share what he had that is, perhaps, one of the key things to celebrate about him. And it was underpinned by his rock-solid faith – nothing overly pious, nothing showy, but a faith and a love of the Lord built on granite. Even his occasional lack of patience (sorry Mark) extended to that faith; ‘why won’t God call me?”. At the risk of being irreverent my response was always “would you want you?”. But God did want him, and he knew it. God had a purpose for his Apostle during his life and he now rests with Him in eternity. His purpose was, simply, to bring the joy of the Lord into the lives of others, in many and varied ways. A few weeks before Mark died, Pope Francis died. When the late Pope was seriously ill the son of friends of mine who entertained Mark and I to lunch regularly, was distraught at overhearing mum and dad say the Pope may die. He couldn’t stop crying. “But darling”, they said, “you don’t know the Pope, why so very sad?”. “We do know him” came the reply, “it’s Mark”. “No, Mark isn’t the Pope”. “Oh, so when the Pope does die will Mark be Pope then?”. Mark loved that one. When Mark himself did die said son would only be pacified by picking flowers from the garden and bringing them to church for him. He wanted to show how much Mark meant to him and wanted to give a little something back. That is the real biography – a man loved, respected, a man who shared what he had, above all his faith, a man who touched so many lives and made them better.  Rest in peace our dear friend.
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