Message of Abbot Paul - Ash Wednesday - 14th February 2024
Abbot Paul • February 13, 2024
​On Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed and placed on our heads as a sign of repentance and conversion. It is the traditional way in which we begin Lent. The prayer of blessing takes its theme from the well-known words of the Prophet Ezequiel, “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord God, and not that he should turn from his ways and live?” (Ez. 18:23) God has no wish for sinners to die, but that we repent and live. Although our sins may differ, we are all sinners. Even the great saints were sinners at the start. Jesus said, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jn 3:16) Lent is a time, “a favourable time”, for us to take stock of our sinfulness and, through God’s mercy, find the healing remedy that will bring us to new life in Christ, as we prepare to celebrate, in an explosion of joy, the events of our salvation at Easter. The prayer also speaks of “a steadfast observance of Lent”. We don’t need reminding that we give up too easily on our Lenten observances: it doesn’t take long before we forget what we had promised to do. Not only that, but we tend to think more about what we want to give up rather than about what we could take on. St Bernard’s advice is helpful. “Sorrow for sin is indeed necessary, but it should not involve endless self-preoccupation. You should dwell also on the glad remembrance of the loving kindness of God.” Lent is not only a time for repentance; it is also a time to give thanks to God for his mercy and love.
On the First Sunday of Lent, St Jerome had this to say to his congregation, “If you have fasted for two days, do not for this reason think yourself better than those who have not. You fast and perhaps become angry; another eats, but perhaps exercises kindness.” We all need to keep our passions in check, and Lent is a good time to begin. Fasting in the Christian tradition, of course, is meant to do just that. The purpose of fasting is not to become obsessive about food, even less about losing weight, but rather it is meant to help us control our passions and vices: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony and, above all, anger. Fasting should encourage and strengthen in us the God-like virtues, above all, kindness, tenderness, caring for others and loving them deeply. Nor should we forget that fasting goes hand in hand with almsgiving and prayer.
​Our Gospel reading today comes from Matthew, (Mt 6: 1-6; 16-18), and is taken from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus talks about almsgiving, prayer and fasting and begins with an important injunction, which holds good for all three. “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven.’” Whatever charitable acts we perform should be done quietly, as the praise of others will take any merit away, and we must guard against hypocrisy at any cost. “So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father, who sees all that is done in secret, will reward you.” The same holds true for prayer and fasting, in fact, when fasting, we must do the very opposite to what we normally do on Ash Wednesday: no ashes, but oil on our head and a well- scrubbed face! Go for it! Lent is to be enjoyed.
As we begin Lent today, we ask God to pardon our sins and grant us newness of life, to create his image anew within us that we might grow into the likeness of Christ. May the good Lord be pleased to bless us all this Lent with the abundance of his grace. Amen.
From Francis to Leo: A special event with Christopher Lamb of CNN in conversation with Austin Ivereigh who commentated for the BBC on the transition from Pope Francis to Pope Leo.
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.
Archbishop Mark O'Toole, of Cardiff-Menevia presided at the Requiem Mass for Bishop Mark, while Abbot Brendan conducted his burial. Cardinal Vincent Nichols preached a homily full of warmth and affection for Bishop Mark which is reproduced below.
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.
Our brethren in Peru were delighted with the election of Pope Leo.
