Message of Abbot Paul - Friday - 16th February 2024
Abbot Paul • February 15, 2024
Suddenly, in spite of the rain, it feels like Spring. We’re past St Valentine’s Day, so it’s hardly surprising and the cold weather, we hope, is behind us. Our cemetery is covered with a carpet of snowdrops, brighter and yet more delicate than ever. Then there are primroses, like countless stars in a green sky, deep purple and yellow crocuses and dashing sunlike daffodils. I often think of that children’s hymn we sang at school, “All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.” Then the words of Jesus come to mind, “Unless you become as little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” There’s something special about Spiring that makes us all like children again, lost in wonder at the world of nature all around us.
Yesterday, I also spent the morning in Hereford County Hospital. We hear a lot of criticism of the NHS, but all I can say is that my personal experience in Hereford for over 50 years has been second to none, whether it’s my local surgery at Much Birch or the hospital itself. I had been told that I would have a chip placed in my chest to monitor my blood pressure and heartbeat. It turned out to be an Implantable Loop Recorder (ILR) the length of my little finger, with what seems to be a lot of equipment to go with it. Oh dear, now what do I do? I hope I understood the instructions. There’s no getting rid of it: it will go with me to the grave. Well, you must look on the bright side of things. Fr Andrew told me I should warn our undertaker! The staff were fantastic, the experience enjoyable, other patients good to chat with and a real blessing knowing that parishioners and friends were praying for me and that someone in particular was watching over me and holding my hand.
Today’s Gospel passage is taken from Matthew, (Mt 9: 14-15). One of the real difficulties we have with the Gospel readings in Lent is that they are usually verses plucked out of their context, so that they’re not always easy to understand. This happened yesterday and it’s also the case today. It’s useful to know what led up to these words of Jesus and what followed on from them. This is the text: “John’s disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.’” This saying of Jesus is part of his debate with the scribes and Pharisees, following on from the healing of a paralytic and the call of Matthew. ‘Why does Jesus mix with tax collectors and sinners and eat with them?’ They ask. ‘Why does he say that people’s sins are forgiven? Why do his disciples not fast?’ Their questions are many. Here the disciples of John the Baptist are also involved. ‘Why do they fast, while Jesus’ disciples do not?’ Jesus replies, referring to himself as the bridegroom and to his disciples as the bridegroom’s attendants. As long as Jesus is with them, they do not need to fast for where Jesus is, there is God’s presence and the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus is taken from them, then they will fast, but for the time being, life is a feast, a heavenly banquet. Jesus refers to his being taken from them, a prophecy of his Passion and Death.
We fast during Lent, looking ahead to the celebration of Holy Week, when we remember the events of our redemption, the Passion, Death and Resurrection. While that is true, we fast at this and other times not because Jesus has been taken from us, but because we have strayed away from him, thereby removing him from our lives. Now that’s why we really need to repent and turn back to him. Fasting really serves no other purpose and, as the Prophet Isaiah reminds us in Chapter 58 of his book, the true fast that God wants us to keep is a fast from all that is unjust in our behaviour towards others, our lack of charity and generosity, our lack of sincerity and honesty, and so on. Do read Isaiah 58. Lord, this Lent save us from ourselves and bring us back to you, that we might love others as you love us. Amen.
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