Message of Abbot Paul - Easter Monday 10th April 2023

​As a young lad, I often spent Holy Week and Easter with my Italian grandmother in Perugia, Italy. It was easy to do so, as school holidays in the U.K. in those days coincided with religious festivals. I was always struck by the fact that Italians called Easter Monday ‘Pasquetta” (Little Easter) or ‘Lunedì dell’Angelo’ (Monday of the Angel), celebrating the Angel of the Resurrection who proclaimed to the women that Jesus had risen from the dead. The Gospel, in fact, begins and ends with an Annunciation: that God would become Man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and that Jesus Christ, true God and true man, had risen from the dead and was alive. The Angel told the women, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.” (Mk 16: 6)

 

In addition, in the Roman Gradual today’s Offertory Chant is the exquisite ‘Angelus Domini descendit de caelis.” (The Angel of the Lord came down from heaven). My hope is that we will manage to sing it at Belmont, not an easy task. What for most people is just another Bank Holiday with no religious connotation whatever, for us Christians today is the second day of the Easter Octave, when we continue celebrating with joy the fact that Jesus, who was crucified, dead and buried, rose from the dead and is alive in the hearts of all those who believe in him and accept him to be their Lord and Saviour.

 

​The Angel of the Lord came down from heaven and said to the women, “The one you are looking for is risen, just as he said he would. Alleluia.