Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 17th March 2023

I began writing this short message for St Patrick’s Day on the Air France flight coming over from Lima to Paris and finished it off in a lounge at Charles De Gaulle Airport, where I sat waiting for the connection to Birmingham, my airport of choice due to its proximity to Belmont. I’d like to offer my prayers and congratulations to Fr Patrick, Hospital chaplain and Parish Priest at Little Malvern, whose 70th birthday it is today. I always admire his devotion, energy and enthusiasm and pray that just a drop will rub off on me! It will seem strange being back at Belmont today. I’ll be collecting Toby from his Lenten retreat this afternoon. He certainly wouldn’t appreciate the heat of Peru. The brethren tell me it’s been an exceptionally hot Summer there. The climate seems to be going crazy the world over.

Today’s Gospel passage is from Luke 10 and recounts the sending forth of the seventy two disciples as missionaries of peace and salvation, preparing the way for Jesus himself. That’s what we all do as Christians. We take Christ’s peace into the world around us and bring others to know Jesus,, the source of salvation. We could all do this with more enthusiasm and conviction, following the example of St Patrick.