Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 12th November 2022

Today, in the Benedictine Calendar, we have a choice between St Theodore the Studite, the 9th century Byzantine monastic reformer, and St Josaphat, the 17th century Ukrainian bishop and martyr. I fail to understand why we can’t celebrate both and why we have to choose one or the other. It makes no sense. Usually, we keep St Theodore, because he was a monk and an important reformer of monastic life in the East, added to which our own beloved Fr Theodore was named after him. However, this year we are keeping St Josaphat, as we pray constantly each day for an end to aggression and war in Ukraine and a peaceful re-entry to their homes of Ukrainian refugees, who would like to return to their motherland, while recognising that some will remain in their new homes. It is a great joy, in the tragic sadness of such an unjust and unnecessary war, to be able to welcome our new Ukrainian friends to the United Kingdom, such talented and intelligent people.

 

​St Josaphat’s biography is so complicated, so it’s best that you look him up on the Internet or in a library and read all about him for yourself. What we must do now is to continue praying for peace not only for Ukraine, but for all those areas of the world, where people are divided and hate one another, not wanting to recognise that we are all sons and daughters of the one God and Father of all that exists.

 

In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 18: 1-6), “Jesus tells his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart.” We know the parable well and I have discussed it several times in these messages. It is about an unjust judge and a persistent widow, who perseveres in begging for justice. In the end, he caves in, as he fears that she will pester him to death. Jesus uses this parable to encourage his disciples to persevere in prayer and never give up, for God might delay at times, but eventually he always answers our prayers, even if not in the way we want or expect, but then God knows best. However, Jesus goes beyond the personal to talk about more serious matters, questions of justice and faith. Let us pray today that governments and individuals may all seek for justice based on faith, for this God alone can give.