Message of Abbot Paul - Easter Saturday - 6th April 2024
Abbot Paul • April 5, 2024
I would like to thank everyone who wrote to express their sorrow and condolences at the sudden passing of dear Toby. I must confess that I found each word, each phrase, each expression of respect and love so moving, so touching and so comforting in this moment of parting and loss. Yet, I am so grateful to God for bringing Toby into my life eleven and a half years’ ago and through him bringing so much happiness and joy to so many people.
​Today’s Gospel passage comes from Mark, (Mk 16: 9-15), and is a kind of appendix to the Gospel. It’s a summary of three appearances of Jesus to his disciples after the Resurrection. The Gospel proper ends with the women running away from the empty tomb, frightened out of their wits. These verses seem to have been added later so as to complete the Gospel story on a more positive note. The first concerns Mary of Magdala. “Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.” Essentially, this summarises the account in John 20, but emphasises that Jesus had cast out seven spirits from Mary and that the disciples don’t believe what she has to say. Also, they’re called companions rather than disciples and are mourning and in tears.
Then follows a brief summary of Luke’s account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. “After this, he showed himself under another form to two of them as they were on their way into the country. These went back and told the others, who did not believe them either.” Rather than say that they do not recognise Jesus, we are told that he appeared under another form. Yet again, like Mary of Magdala, no one believes them.
Finally, we have what could be a conflation of John 20, Jesus appearing to the disciples in the upper room on the evening of Easter day with Matthew 28: 19-20, the Great Commission, or sending forth of the apostles to preach the Gospel to the whole of creation, which in Matthew takes place on a mountain in Galilee. Strangely, in the Lectionary verses 16-20 are missing today. We will come to them another day. “Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’”
​The question for us today is whether we believe or not. Perhaps we just half believe. St Augustine did say that the only proof of faith is doubt, so that’s a start!
We can always pray as the disciples did, “Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.”
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully last night. He served this community well for many years, not least Abbot of the Community and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.
Pope Francis RIP Pope 2013-2025 Born 1936, Died 2025 We are deeply saddened at the passing of Pope Francis. As the successor of St Peter he has been a spiritual father and shepherd to the church in our day, challenging us, and calling as to reach out to those on the peripheries. He was the first Jesuit Pope, but took the name Francis after the Poor Man of Assisi who modelled for him a closeness to the poor, a concern for those on the margins of society and a care for all of creation In his preaching Pope Francis always spoke of the joy of the Gospel and encouraged us to reflect the joy of our faith in our lives. He showed the compassion of Jesus to everyone. He worked tirelessly for the unity of the church and travelled even to non-Christian countries promoting a message of peace. He has left a great legacy. With the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio with the community over Easter we were able to express our closeness to the Holy Father in his final suffering. There will be a special Mass at Belmont this Thursday 24th April at 11am to pray for Pope Francis as he makes his final journey to the house of the Father. On the day of his funeral, the Office of the Dead will be sung, and Mass that day will be a Requiem. May the angels lead him into paradise; may the martyrs receive him at his arrival and lead him to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive him and with Lazarus, the poor man grant him eternal rest." (The In Paradisum, words from the Funeral Liturgy)
We were were honoured and delighted to be joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to celebrate Easter. His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía is the representative of the Holy See in Great Britain, and therefore of the Holy Father. His presence on Easter Sunday morning brought us more consciously in communion with Pope Francis, the successor of St Peter, as we heard the Gospel story of Peter running to the tomb. His patron saint is St Michael, so afterwards, at a festive lunch we were able to present him with some Belmont cufflinks with the monastery coat of arms - very similar to his as Archbishop. We were able to pray for him and his work in this country.
