Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 18th November 2023
Abbot Paul • November 17, 2023
Yesterday I drove back from Ampleforth to Belmont. In order to avoid heavy traffic, I decided to leave at 6.30am, first making a short detour to Stanbrook Abbey at Wass to deliver a box of books. It was wonderful to enjoy the first light of dawn from Stanbrook and to see the unusual church coming towards me like Noah’s ark floating on the flood of night. I found the drive back much easier than the drive up on Tuesday. Traffic was light and there were no hold ups. I stopped once for something to eat and a short rest. I think it was near Chesterfield. The problem with motorways is that you can never tell where you are. The lives of our Benedictine nuns are dedicated in a very special and intensive way to contemplative prayer and we thank God for their vocation.
Connected with that thought is today’s Gospel reading from Luke (Lk 18: 1-8), which begins: “Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart.” How important this teaching is and it comes from Jesus himself. We have a real need to pray continually and, in that prayer, never to lose heart. Interestingly enough, the parable is about an unjust judge and a widow. “There was a judge in a certain town who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, ‘I want justice from you against my enemy!’ For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, ‘Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’
God, however, is not an unjust judge, so it’s best not to look too closely at the details. The point is that perseverance in prayer will always be rewarded, even if you have to wait a long time. But what does Jesus say? Luke tells us. “You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?” God might delay at times in answering our prayer and his answer might not be the one we’re expecting, but God will see justice done. It can be dangerous, of course, to pray: God often gives us what we’ve asked for when we no longer want it. A good maxim is not to pray for something unless you really want it. Jesus’ final thought is unexpectedly shocking, “When the Son of Man comes will he find any faith on earth?” What can he mean? Why does he say that? What do you think?
Br Meinrad and Br Gildas attend a special service with the Benedictine community of St Paul's Outside the Walls with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.
We are sad to announce that Fr Stephen died on Monday 21st October 2055. He was 94. He died peacefully in hospital, having recently fractured his shoulder. He was a beloved member of the monastic community, who had settled back at Belmont after many years on Belmont parishes, including in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford and Weobley. He will be much missed. His Requiem Mass will be at Belmont on Wednesday, 5th November at 11.30am followed by burial in the monastic cemetery. The Reception of his Body into the Abbey Church will take place on Tuesday, 4th November, at 5.45pm.
With honoured guests we were delighted to open our doors again of our new guesthouse and conference centre: The Chapterhouse.
"A hymn to the human body." Abbot Brendan's Homily at the annual Mass celebrated at Rotherwas Chapel in Hereford that dates from the 1580s on the feast of the Assumption.
From Francis to Leo: A special event with Christopher Lamb of CNN in conversation with Austin Ivereigh who commentated for the BBC on the transition from Pope Francis to Pope Leo.
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.
