Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday - 13th January 2024
Abbot Paul • January 12, 2024
​Old school friends often ask me why I am still a Christian or still a Catholic, when they gave up on faith many years ago. They were mostly Welsh Non-Conformists. My answer never changes: the power of the Gospel and the friendship and love of Jesus. That is precisely why I am still a believer and a practising one at that. My faith, which is nourished by reading the Gospel and praying each day, has kept me faithful and contented throughout life, and I have no doubt that it will continue to do so in the years ahead. I very much love and respect my friends, but wonder what it must be like to live without faith. I think it’s something I couldn’t do.
​Today we continue our reading of Mark, (Mk 2: 13-17), with the call of Levi or Matthew. “Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.” It would appear that one of Jesus’ favourite spots for preaching was on the seashore. At times, he would step into a boat and use that as a pulpit. Today, after speaking to the crowd, as he moves on, he sees Levi, sitting at his workplace, and calls him. The call of Jesus is always brief and to the point, “Follow me.” What else can Levi do but get up and follow him?
​Later in the day we find Jesus having dinner at Levi’s house, but they’re not alone, for there’s a large number at table. “Tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers.” Levi wasn’t the only tax collector to follow Jesus and among those at table were others as well, who were considered to be sinners by the scribes, whom we meet now for a second time. “When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’“ Mark makes it clear that the scribes were of the Pharisee party, We could ask why were they at Levi’s house and, if they were eating too, then why were they eating, like Jesus, at the same table as sinners and tax collectors? This is the first time we hear the scribes speak out about Jesus’ behaviour. He overhears them speaking to his disciples and replies, “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.” Jesus insists that he has come to call sinners to repentance and new life, not to condone the sin, but to love the sinner. He is like a physician who has come to heal the sick. In fact, he is God made man, who has come to forgive sinners and reconcile them with their heavenly Father and with each other. May we allow the Lord to forgive us our sins and reconcile us with the Father, for that is what salvation means, and like Levi may we follow Jesus and become his disciples.
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.
