Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday - 24th February 2024
Abbot Paul • February 23, 2024
Yesterday was Family Fast Day. I wonder if you remembered? If not, you can always fast some other day and send your donation to Cafod at a later date. You might even want to do it on a regular basis. Perhaps you already do and, of course, there are many charities and people in need with whom we can share the gifts that God has given us. St Benedict says of the monastic bursar in the Holy Rule that, when he is unable to give a monk what he’s asking for, at least he should give him a kind word. Kindness and affection are wonderful gifts we can share with others. At times, a smile or a nod of the head are enough to make a lonely or sad person feel appreciated and loved. We all want to be recognised and acknowledged. I know there’s an English proverb that suggests that charity is cold, but true charity is warm and generous and the very best way of loving God through our neighbour.
Today’s Gospel passage, like yesterday’s, is from the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 43-48), and from the same section, Jesus gives a new interpretation of the Law according to the mind of God. This time it’s not one of the Ten Commandments, but rather the Golden Rule of love. It’s a particularly well-known passage. “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’” I think it best to keep the text intact and not to break it up into phrases. What is really interesting here is that Jesus appears to misquote the Old Testament. God never commanded His people at any time to hate their enemies. God is an unchanging God of love and He cannot hate any person, nor can He command anyone else to do so. Jesus said the greatest commands were to love God and to love our neighbour as ourself. Indeed, this command taken by Jesus from Leviticus 18: 19 states, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Why then did Jesus say the Old Testament taught that we should hate our enemy? However, Jesus is not quoting the Old Testament here, but the pharisaical misinterpretation of the Old Testament. Notice that Jesus does not say “it is written,” as He does when quoting the Old Testament. Rather, He says, “you have heard,” by which He meant the Jewish “tradition” that had grown up around the Old Testament and by which they had made the commandment of God of no effect. The truth is that the God of love commanded us to love and never at any time did he command us to hate others.
Jesus wants us to become as he is, our heavenly Father’s loving sons and daughters. We are to become perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. As Jesus is nailed to the cross, he prays, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that Stephen said something similar as he was being stoned to death for being a disciple of Jesus, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Lord, you have taught us to love and to forgive our enemies. Help us to love them as you love us. Help us to become love as God is love. Amen.
We are delighted that the acclaimed Cistercian writer, Fr Michael Casey will be with us in December.
We are pleased to announce our first Advent retreat in our newly opened guesthouse
Good Shepherd, Good Priest “I will seek the lost and bring back the strayed; I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Those words, spoken by the Lord God through the prophet Ezekiel, describe the heart of God, the Good Shepherd — but they also describe the life and ministry of a good monk and priest. They could well be written of Fr Stephen’s years of service as a pastor in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford, and Weobley. In each of those places, he shared in the Shepherd’s work: seeking out the lost, binding up the wounded, strengthening the weary, and leading God’s people with quiet faithfulness. And like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who came close to his people, Fr Stephen did not serve from a distance. He knew his people; he was among them. He shared their sorrows and their joys, their hopes and their disappointments. He bore their burdens with prayer and patience he brought the joy of the Gospel and the grace of the Sacraments. His mission amongst us is complete. He has served God’s good purpose. So today we ask Christ the Good Shepherd to take Stephen on his sacred shoulders and carry him home to the house of the Father. Bind up his wounds, give him eternal rest and lead him at last to the green pastures and still waters of eternal life.
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.