Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 5th August

Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 5th August 2022

 Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am, at how quickly the days and weeks disappear. It seems just a few weeks’ ago that we were looking forward to the light mornings and long evenings. Now in the morning I often go out with Toby in the half-light, while in the evening it’s always dark by the time we get back from our last stroll of the day. Although we are enjoying the warmth of Summer, there’s something about the air that already smells of Autumn. Before we know it, we’ll be saying goodbye to Christmas and welcoming in another New Year.

 In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus tells his disciples what the conditions are to become a true follower. We know the words well, but that doesn’t make it any easier to obey them. We are reading Matthew, (Mt 16: 24-28). “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?” When Jesus called his disciples, the key word was always, “Follow me.” And he meant that they should follow him in every way. Here he spells it out, but not before reminding us that the choice is ours, we are free to accept or reject his call, there is no obligation. It is not slavery or servitude he is inviting us to, but the free acceptance of his call to follow him. However, in order to follow him, we have to renounce our own wills, our very selves, take up our own cross, the cross of self-denial and self-sacrifice, and then walk with him wherever he leads, for he will show us where to go and how get there. He will always be with us, to help and support us in every way. We lose our old life in order to gain a new life and that is what Jesus promises his disciples, new life with him in the Spirit to the glory of God the Father.

 He goes on to say, “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour. I tell you solemnly, there are some of these standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom.” If we accept his invitation to renounce ourselves, take up our own cross and follow him, then we will join Jesus in the glory of the Father and we will be rewarded for what we have done in the school of discipleship. What might appear difficult, negative even, at the outset will gradually get easier, for we will be walking in the company of Jesus, as the disciples on the road to Emmaus. What a different place the world would be if all Christians took up the challenge set out by Jesus in today’s Gospel. Think of it.