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.
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.
