Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 21st January
Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 21st January 2022
When Toby was woken up this morning for his brief 6am walk, I removed his Elizabethan collar for the last time. From then onwards, with his vet’s permission, he was free to relax and sleep without it. Up until now it was removed only for his short visits to the outside world and when eating his meals or drinking. I must confess, it was a great relief to me, too, not to have to keep putting that uncomfortable collar on and taking it off. His next visit to the surgery will be on 31st January for an Xray of his leg. For that he will be anaesthetised and remain in all day. Until we know the results, it will still be a worry wondering whether the steel plates are in place, working properly and are unaffected by the infection that, to begin with, prevented his wound from healing. Still, he shows no signs of illness or of suffering in any way. I am fascinated by the way he paces himself and shows no inclination to extent his brief walks any further than he should go at this stage. I apologise if I’ve written too much about him today, but this is in response to the many enquiries I receive each day.
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Today is the feast of St Agnes, the Third Century Roman Virgin Martyr, who died at the age of 12 or 13 the year 304. She is venerated in all the Churches, both East and West, and is the patron saint of all those who seek to practise chastity and purity. Her name derives from the Latin word for a lamb, agnus. We ask her intercession today for ourselves and for all those we love. We also pray for girls and young women all over the world who live in moral danger and for those trafficked for prostitution, sadly one of the many forms a slavery prevalent in our world today.
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Our short Gospel reading comes from Mark, ((Mk 3: 13-19), and recounts the day that Jesus chose his apostles, the Twelve. “Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.” Mark does not tell us why Jesus appointed these twelve men in particular. It is only after they have been appointed that he gives them instructions as to their mission, way of life and norms of behaviour. There are many questions we would like to ask of the evangelists. For example, did they leave their families, work and other commitments permanently while they followed Jesus? Were they to live from the generosity of others or continue to work for a living? They certainly had access to boats while in Capernaum and Peter and others lived in their own homes there. Here we are told that they would be sent out to preach and are given power to cast out devils. They receive some of the spirit of Jesus and share in his ministry. Let us pray for those who are chosen today, above all for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
