Message of Abbot Paul - Monday 9th January 2023
Abbot Paul • January 8, 2023
As you know, the Ukrainian Liturgy is usually celebrated in our church on the first Sunday of every month from 3 o’clock onwards, but this month we had the celebration today, for in Ukraine, as in Russia and several other countries, 7th January was Christmas Day. It was lovely to see over 100 local Ukrainians present and a delight to hear them sing their carols in the course of the Liturgy and afterwards at the “agape” celebrated in the Parish centre. Tragic and horrific as the war in Ukraine is, sowing death and destruction for no purpose but the fulfilment of irrational human pride, nevertheless they hope and pray that soon the war will come to an end, occupied lands be restored to Ukraine and their country rebuilt with the help of the international community. I have always admired the Ukrainian people, intelligent, hard-working, peace-loving and long-suffering. Let us make it one of our chief objectives this New Year to pray for peace and justice throughout the world.
As we enter into Ordinary Time, which will take us up to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent on 22nd February, we start reading the Gospel of Mark on weekdays, whilst continuing with Matthew on Sundays. Today’s passage from Mark, (Mk 1: 14-20), sees Jesus beginning his ministry in Galilee, following the arrest of John the Baptist. Jesus’ message is similar to John’s, but with greater urgency for with Jesus the kingdom of God is already present on earth. “The time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.” Mark’s Gospel is very short, just 16 chapters, so it often reads like a summary. Hence, the need to pay attention to every word. Jesus himself is the Good News, so repentance leads us to Jesus and faith in him.
The first thing Jesus does, according to Mark, is to call his first disciples. Recently we read in John’s Gospel how Jesus originally met these men where John the Baptist was baptising and how they had been disciples of John. However, like Jesus they were Galileans, which accounts for Jesus walking along by the Sea of Galilee, where he meets up with them again. He could not have been a stranger to them, for they accept his call to discipleship immediately, no questions asked. The call like the response is radical. “Follow me!” he says, qualified by the famous phrase, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark comments, “And at once they left their nets and followed him.” Next, he calls James and John, who were actually in their father’s boat mending the nets. Their reaction is the same as that of Andrew and Peter. “He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.” These were not poor men: they owned boats and had employees, at least their father did.
What if Jesus came by today and asked you to follow him, what would your reaction be and how radical your reply?
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Good Shepherd, Good Priest “I will seek the lost and bring back the strayed; I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Those words, spoken by the Lord God through the prophet Ezekiel, describe the heart of God, the Good Shepherd — but they also describe the life and ministry of a good monk and priest. They could well be written of Fr Stephen’s years of service as a pastor in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford, and Weobley. In each of those places, he shared in the Shepherd’s work: seeking out the lost, binding up the wounded, strengthening the weary, and leading God’s people with quiet faithfulness. And like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who came close to his people, Fr Stephen did not serve from a distance. He knew his people; he was among them. He shared their sorrows and their joys, their hopes and their disappointments. He bore their burdens with prayer and patience he brought the joy of the Gospel and the grace of the Sacraments. His mission amongst us is complete. He has served God’s good purpose. So today we ask Christ the Good Shepherd to take Stephen on his sacred shoulders and carry him home to the house of the Father. Bind up his wounds, give him eternal rest and lead him at last to the green pastures and still waters of eternal life.
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