Message of Abbot Paul - Monday - 15th January 2024
Abbot Paul • January 14, 2024
​In the Benedictine tradition, 15th January is associated with Saints Maurus and Placid, young disciples of Saint Benedict. As is clear from the Rule of Saint Benedict, it was already the custom for monasteries to receive the sons of rich and poor alike and educate them in the hope that they would become monks. A famous example is Saint Bede the Venerable, who entered the monastery at Jarrow when he was just 7 years’ old and received his entire education in the monastic community. We cannot underestimate the learning and culture of monks and nuns and the place of monasteries in the cultural and scientific history of the world. Maurus was the elder of the two. The story of Placid being saved from drowning is found in the Dialogues of Saint Gregory the Great. Placid goes to fetch water in the lake, but falls into the water. Saint Benedict, aware of the situation by God’s grace, sends Maurus to rescue the child Placid. Maurus, having received his abbot’s blessing, runs over the surface of the water, grabs Placid by the hair, pulls him out, and then runs back over the water to dry land, carrying the boy in his arms. Saint Benedict attributes the miracle to Maurus’ obedience whilst Maurus attributes it to the abbot’s holiness. It is Placid who settles the debate: “When you pulled me out of the water, he says, I saw over my head Father Abbot’s hood, and I saw that it was he who pulled me from the water.” It’s an episode in the Dialogues that illustrates the value of obedience.
​Our Gospel passage comes from Mark, (Mk 2: 18-22), and deals with the behaviour of Jesus’ disciples compared with those of John the Baptist and the Pharisees. It focusses on fasting, but Jesus takes the opportunity to explain an important truth about himself. “One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’” The answer that Jesus gives is not what they’re expecting. Jesus is always full of surprises. If his disciples are not fasting, then it’s because Jesus himself isn’t fasting, but that’s another story. However, Jesus replies, “Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast.” Jesus uses metaphors as well as parables. He refers to himself as the bridegroom, so his presence with his disciples must be like a wedding feast for them, a cause of great rejoicing. The real fast was the absence of Jesus before his coming among them. They will fast again when he is taken from them, but with the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the fast will end definitively. The kingdom of heaven is a banquet, not a fast!
​Jesus continues, “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!” Jesus uses another two metaphors, patches on cloaks and wineskins. He doesn’t want his disciples to follow the religious observances of the Pharisees. The freedom of a grace-filled life cannot fit into the legalistic straightjacket the Pharisees impose on their disciples. The words of Jesus invite his hearers to new life in him as Messiah and Saviour. We must read what Jesus says in the context of the unity of the Church in Christ. We remember his words, “I am the Vine, you are the branches.” (Jn 15: 5) We are the living stones that together with Christ our head make up his Mystical Body. “Apart from me,” he says, “you can do nothing.” (Jn 15: 5) In that case, with him we can do all things, for “nothing is impossible to God.” (Lk 1: 37) Lord, help us to put our trust in you and to desire nothing but to live united in you. Amen.
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.
