Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 24th December 2022
Abbot Paul • December 23, 2022
Not only is it Christmas Eve, but it’s already two, or is it three, days since the Winter Solstice and the days are already lengthening, as we look towards Spring and Summer. It’s difficult to know anymore where we are with the climate. Last week I was walking Toby a little before 6am and it was -8C; yet yesterday it was +8C. That’s a big jump for the end of December. It’s looking as though we’ll have a wet Christmas, but definitely not a white one. No matter what the weather, our prayers remain the same: we pray earnestly for peace in Ukraine, for an end to the war there, the senseless destruction, intense suffering and the displacement of millions of innocent people. We cannot allow this aggression to continue. Sadly, there are times when prayer, hope and dialogue are not enough: this is one of those times.
At our morning Mass today, we conclude reading the account of the birth of John the Baptist from Luke’s Infancy Narrative, (Lk 1: 67-79). Today we hear Zechariah’s song of thanksgiving, commonly known as the Benedictus, from the first word of the song in Latin, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.” Luke tells us that Zechariah was filled with Holy Spirit and that his song was a prophecy. In the birth of John, God has fulfilled his promise to Israel that a precursor, a forerunner, would be sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, for the coming of God himself in Christ. God remembers his holy covenant made with Abraham,
“the oath he swore
to our father Abraham
that he would grant us, free from fear,
to be delivered from the hands of our enemies,
to serve him in holiness and virtue
in his presence, all our days.”
In God’s plan of salvation, John has a very important role to play,
“And you, little child,
you shall be called Prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare the way for him,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins;
this by the tender mercy of our God
who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us,
to give light to those who live
in darkness and the shadow of death
and to guide our feet
into the way of peace.”
John’s specific ministry will be to forgive sins, as people prepare to meet and accept the Messiah and in him find not only forgiveness but salvation. John will prepare the way for the Saviour’s coming among us as Emmanuel, God-is-with-us.
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.
