Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 15th July
Abbot Paul • July 15, 2022
Yesterday was another busy day at Chapter, where we discussed monastic formation, the way we train newcomers to the monastic life and how the rest of us keep on our toes and up to date. I won’t bore you with the details, but the discussions were fruitful and , I believe, will give excellent results. I attach a few photographs of the abbey church and one of myself with the abbot, who looks as though he were my son!
Our Gospel passage for today begins a new section of Matthew, (Mt 12: 1-8), an episode I’ve always found a breath of fresh air and most encouraging. It begins, “Jesus took a walk one sabbath day through the cornfields.” Jesus invites each one of us to walk with him today through the cornfields, to walk each day of our lives with him. “His disciples were hungry and began to pick ears of corn and eat them.” I’m not sure what the Pharisees we’re doing there in the cornfields to see this, unless they were spying on Jesus, which is possible. They complain to Jesus that his disciples are doing something forbidden on the sabbath. Jesus replies with two examples from the Old Testament, firstly of how King David and his men also broke the Law by eating of the loaves of offering in the Temple on the sabbath because they were hungry. Then there’s the case of the priests of the Temple who regularly break the Law on the sabbath and no one blames them. Jesus reminds them that, “there is something greater than the Temple here.”
Jesus tells the Pharisees that they have forgotten the true purpose of the Law and forgotten the meaning of God’s words in the Prophet, “What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.” Charity is above the Law and Jesus, Son of God, is the only true interpreter of the Law. The disciples were hungry, so they had every right to eat. There is no virtue in going hungry just to keep the pharisaic interpretation of the Law. Those who are hungry have the right to eat: they do not break the Law in doing so.
Today’s Gospel is a timely reminder to help those who are going hungry in our world, especially in our own country. It also reminds us of the freedom we have as disciples of Jesus always to act with charity, walking with him through the cornfields of life.
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.
