Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 5th March

Abbot Paul • March 4, 2022

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 5th March 2022

 The tragic events taking place in the Ukraine, totally unacceptable from every point of view, and the blinding of the Russian people to the truth by government control of the media, make us realise how vital are truth and integrity to our lives. I am finding already that the real penance this Lent is simply to listen to or read the news and weep in prayer, not in desperation but trusting still in God, for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Let us continue to pray for all those involved, including the perpetrators and those responsible for the catastrophe of war, that God will touch the hearts, particularly of the military and those in high government, to stop these atrocities that are completely uncalled for and negotiate a way of peace and cooperation among nations and ethnic groups.

 Our Gospel today is the account from Luke, (Lk 5: 27-32), of the call of Levi or Matthew the Apostle. It contains the most consoling words found in the Bible, words of Jesus to the Pharisees and their scribes, who complained about his attitude to sinners. “Jesus noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him. In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’” How can we respond but by expressing our gratitude and love for God, who in Jesus reconciles sinners to himself and to one another? 

 In the Roman Empire there were a number of categories of tax collectors and taxes could be paid either in cash or with a percentage of the goods produced. The state paid tax collectors a certain wage, but they were free to make more money by charging over and above the set amounts. They were considered to be traitors by the Jewish religious authorities, collaborators with the invaders. A great deal is made of them in the Gospel as, like prostitutes, they were an easy group of sinners to categorise and Jesus made a specific point of mixing with sinners and calling them to repentance and God’s love and forgiveness. He was the friend of sinners. The truth of the matter is that in one way or another we are all sinners, and Jesus has come for us. He comes to call us to repentance, forgiveness and new life. Lent is a good time to meditate on this fact. “It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.” Let’s not forget that the actions and words of Jesus are an imperative that we should do likewise. We, too, should go to the margins of society and bring those in need of God’s mercy into the fellowship of faith. What would be the point of saying how wonderful Jesus is, if we don’t go out and do the same?

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Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB RIP Given at his funeral by Dom Alexander Kenyon Baby Jean Pierre (Mark) Jabale was born on October 16th, 1933, in Alexandria, Egypt. As he said, himself, his background could be considered “cosmopolitan”: his father was Lebanese / French and his Mother, British / Greek / French. He also reminded people that he wasn’t Egyptian. Through his mother, Arlette, he was related to St. Jean Vianney, so it was, perhaps, no surprise that he followed in his priestly footsteps. His father, Jean, was MD of Fiat and Simca cars Europe and, maybe surprisingly or not, he did love a car – not, however, Italian cars, but German; he loved his Audis. Perhaps we should begin today by remembering his mother and father, his brothers Christian and Paul and his nieces, here today, Aline and Nathalie and Isabelle and their families – they were so dear to him and he to them and I know they miss him enormously. Young Jean wanted to join the Navy and came to England, to Belmont Abbey school but the Lord had other ideas – he ended up joining the rather land locked monastery, our dear, late Fr. Raymund opining that he wouldn’t last a month. After a rather uninspiring course of priestly studies (his words, not mine) he studied for a Licentiate in French literature in Fribourg, then a Dip Ed at Strawberry Hill and played Rugby there – the Papist Witch Doctor as he was affectionately known. Teaching followed, at Belmont, Housemaster, acting Headmaster, then to Alderwasley, our prep school in Derbyshire as Headmaster, and then back to Belmont soon after as Headmaster. In 1983 he went to Peru to build our first monastery there only to realise there was little money. So, he returned to the UK to put in a stint of fundraising with his usual zeal and determination. With his mission accomplished he was asked by Abbot Alan to return to Belmont as his prior in 1986 – Peru remained close to his heart. In 1993 he was elected Abbot. In his time as Abbot, he had to preside over the closure of the school, necessary but no less painful for him. In 2000 he was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Menevia and succeeded Bishop Mullins in 2001. He retired as Ordinary in 2008 and “retired” to Chipping Norton as parish priest, then Hendon, saying Mass for the nuns and helping with confirmations. After a spell at Archbishop’s House, Westminster, living with his great friend Cardinal Nichols, he came home to Belmont – it was as though he had never been away and he loved being back in the monastery, particularly praying the Office with the community. That’s the list, of sorts, but it doesn’t really say “who” he was. I haven’t mentioned his outstanding contribution to rowing – the 1979 coxless, lightweight four gold medal at the world championships in Bled, which almost didn’t happen as, at the last minute, he was told there was no money to send the crew. He begged, cajoled and got them there – the video footage of the final is compelling. He transformed Henley Royal Regatta, writing a computer programme for the race results – he was well ahead of his time. He coached the Oxford Boat, ran the Heads of the River Schools Regatta, and more. What an achievement from someone who had never sat in a boat but learned on the job, as he said, “from books, mainly”. It was his determination, his commitment, his love of people and his drive to share what he had that is, perhaps, one of the key things to celebrate about him. And it was underpinned by his rock-solid faith – nothing overly pious, nothing showy, but a faith and a love of the Lord built on granite. Even his occasional lack of patience (sorry Mark) extended to that faith; ‘why won’t God call me?”. At the risk of being irreverent my response was always “would you want you?”. But God did want him, and he knew it. God had a purpose for his Apostle during his life and he now rests with Him in eternity. His purpose was, simply, to bring the joy of the Lord into the lives of others, in many and varied ways. A few weeks before Mark died, Pope Francis died. When the late Pope was seriously ill the son of friends of mine who entertained Mark and I to lunch regularly, was distraught at overhearing mum and dad say the Pope may die. He couldn’t stop crying. “But darling”, they said, “you don’t know the Pope, why so very sad?”. “We do know him” came the reply, “it’s Mark”. “No, Mark isn’t the Pope”. “Oh, so when the Pope does die will Mark be Pope then?”. Mark loved that one. When Mark himself did die said son would only be pacified by picking flowers from the garden and bringing them to church for him. He wanted to show how much Mark meant to him and wanted to give a little something back. That is the real biography – a man loved, respected, a man who shared what he had, above all his faith, a man who touched so many lives and made them better.  Rest in peace our dear friend.
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