Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 20th May
Abbot Paul • May 19, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 20th May 2022
This seems to be a very busy time of year, busier than I can ever remember. Did I become lazy during those two years of lockdown, or have a grown older and slower? Is it that people have come out of hibernation and are making up for lost time? Whatever the reason, there are days when there’s scarcely time to breathe. I’m really grateful to those who help me in any way to get my work done and often do it for me. I’m really moved by the kindness and generosity of others. May the good Lord reward them. At Belmont and in Herefordshire today, we keep the feast of St Ethelbert, King and Martyr, patron saint of the county, who was murdered on this day in the year 794 on the orders of King Offa, whose daughter he had come to seek in marriage. He was King of East Anglia and did much to build up the Church in his kingdom. May he pray for us and for peace in our war-torn world.
Today we continue reading the fifteenth chapter of John, (Jn 15: 12-17), where Jesus talks with his disciples during the Last Supper of how they should love one another and of their relationship with him and, in him, with the Father.
“This is my commandment:
love one another,
as I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love
than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends,
if you do what I command you.
I shall not call you servants any more,
because a servant does not know
his master’s business;
I call you friends,
because I have made known to you
everything I have learnt from my Father.”
Jesus has loved us by laying down his life for us. There can be no greater love than to sacrifice our lives for others, wherever and however this occurs. It could be in war, or our care for the sick and the elderly. It would be our patience in difficult relationships. It could be giving our time and our skills to help others. There are so many ways in which we can lay down our life for our friends. Jesus calls us his friends and this is an invitation to call others our friends. I never cease to be amazed that Jesus would want me to be his friend, call me such and share so much with me, even the working of his heart and mind. In Jesus, the Father reveals himself to us, his children, and also reveals the intentions of his heart.
Jesus continues speaking of discipleship.
“You did not choose me:
no, I chose you;
and I commissioned you
to go out and to bear fruit,
fruit that will last;
and then the Father will give you
anything you ask him in my name.
What I command you is to love one another.”
We have been chosen by Christ to be his disciples and his friends and he has commissioned us to bear much fruit in the life that God has given us. At times it’s difficult for us to see God’s plan in our lives, but that doesn’t mean to say that there isn’t one. One day we will understand, when we look back and see how God was working in and through us, perhaps for the salvation of others. Life is a great mystery, but a mystery that will gradually be revealed to us by Jesus, our friend. Let us place all our hope and trust in him.
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.
