Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 20th May 2023
Abbot Paul • May 19, 2023
It’s hard to believe that we’re already two thirds of the way through the month of May. It’s that time of year when we keep in our prayers children and young adults who are facing examinations in schools, colleges and universities. May the good Lord send them the Holy Spirit to help them give of their best and may Our Lady hold them in her arms. Today in Herefordshire we keep the feast of St Ethelbert, King and Martyr, patron saint of the cathedral, city and county. He was brutally murdered on this day in the year 794, a pious youth and still a virgin, as he came to claim the hand of King Offa’s daughter, Eadburh, in marriage. The murder was arranged by Offa’s wife, Cynethrith, whereupon Eadburh escaped for Crowland in the Lincolnshire marches, where she lived as an anchoress for 40 years and died in the year 835. May St Ethelbert pray for us all today and especially for the people of Herefordshire.
​The Gospel passage for today continues our reading of John, (Jn 16: 23-28). We notice how in this short passage Jesus uses the term “the Father” to speak of God no less than six times. He begins by promising his disciples that whatever they ask in prayer in his name will be granted them.
​​“I tell you most solemnly,
anything you ask for from the Father he will grant in my name.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.
Ask and you will receive, and so your joy will be complete.”
Until now they have not prayed in the name of Jesus, but now Jesus encourages them to do so, telling them that whatever they ask in his name will be granted them by his Father in heaven. He also promises no longer to speak with them in metaphors, but plainly, so that they can understand. Prayer, however, must be accompanied by love and faith, the prayer itself being the expression of hope.
“When that day comes you will ask in my name;
and I do not say that I shall pray to the Father for you,
because the Father himself loves you for loving me
and believing that I came from God.”
Our prayers will be granted by the Father, who loves us for loving his Christ, believing as we do that he comes from God as Saviour and Redeemer. The time has now come when Jesus will leave his disciples to return to the Father.
“I came from the Father and have come into the world
and now I leave the world to go to the Father.”
Although Jesus leaves this world, he will return in the power of the Spirit to be with us for ever. Then our joy will be complete.
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.
