Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 22nd July 2023
Abbot Paul • July 22, 2023
Today we keep the feast of St Mary Magdalene, known as the Apostle to the Apostles, in that she was the first to see and talk with the risen Christ and the first to tell his disciples, the Apostles, that he was risen from the dead. There is another woman apostle in the New Testament, Lydia of Thyatira, a convert of St Paul’s, who then led the church in her home at Philippi (Acts 16): she is known as the Equal to the Apostles. Mary, or Miriam, was one of the most common names in Israel and many women of that name appear in the Gospels, beginning with Our Lady. So, it’s hardly surprising that Mary of Magdala was confused in the early Middle Ages with Mary of Bethany and a third Mary, possibly herself confused with the woman caught in adultery. The three became conflated into one. Today, however, the Church recognises this error and is quite clear as to who the women were and their differing relationships with Jesus and the Twelve.
​The Gospel chosen for the festal Mass is taken from John, (Jn 20: 1-2, 11-18), and recounts that famous meeting of Mary with Jesus early on the morning of the Resurrection. “It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’” According to John, she was the first to come to the tomb and she came alone. She finds that the stone has been rolled away and must have looked inside, otherwise she could not have reported to Peter and the Beloved Disciple that Jesus’s body had been removed from the tomb. The two run to the tomb and find things exactly as Mary has told them, returning to the gathered disciples to confirm Mary’s report. However, Mary returns to the tomb alone to mourn not only the death of Jesus but the disappearance of his body.
​“Meanwhile Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’” Her first encounter, looking inside the tomb, is with two angels, who addressing her as “Woman,” ask her why she is weeping. Her Lord, the Lord, has been removed and she doesn’t know where he’s been taken. But Jesus isn’t in the tomb, and as she looks round, she sees him standing there in the garden, but fails to recognise him. “As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’” We have a repeat of her conversation with the angels. Jesus not only asks her why she is weeping, but also who it is that she looking for. She thinks she is speaking with the gardener, who has probably taken the body away. Like the angels, Jesus, too, addresses her as, “Woman.”
​“Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.” It is when Jesus calls her by her name that she finally recognises him. The disciples on the road to Emmaus recognised him at the breaking of bread, Mary at the mention of her name. Jesus asks her not to cling to him in the joy of seeing him risen from the dead. He cannot remain on earth in his risen body, but must ascend to the Father, who is not only his Father now but her Father too. She must look forward, not back to what has been, and that is the message she takes to the disciples, the Gospel of the Resurrection. She becomes the Apostle to the Apostles.
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.
