Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 6th May 2023
Abbot Paul • May 5, 2023
This evening every Catholic church throughout England and Wales will be celebrating a special Mass, asking God’s blessing on King Charles III and his Queen Consort Camilla on the eve of the Coronation. Catholics have a very strong tradition of loyalty to the Crown. When we read accounts of the martyrdom of our Catholic martyrs of the Reformation period between 1534 and 1680, what strikes us most is their affection for and loyalty to the king or queen as expressed on the scaffold before the process of hanging, drawing and quartering began. It struck me that today, rather than expressing any thoughts of my own on the matter, it might be a good idea to give you the texts for the Mass, some of the prayers and the readings, in case you are unable to go to Mass this evening. Note that the readings come from the new translation of the Lectionary which I believe will be introduced in the United Kingdom at the beginning of Advent.
At Belmont the Mass will be celebrated at 7.00pm and will be live streamed.
The Collect
O God, to whom every human power is subject,
grant to your servant our sovereign Charles
success in the exercise of his high office,
so that, always revering you and striving to please you,
he may constantly secure and preserve
for the people entrusted to his care
the freedom that comes from civil peace.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
The First Reading
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans. (Rm 8: 26-30)
Brothers and Sisters:
The Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that for those who love God
all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.
For those whom he foreknew
he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those whom he predestined he also called,
and those whom he called he also justified,
and those whom he justified he also glorified.
The Gospel
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5: 1-12a)
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.”
PRAYER FOR THE KING
O Lord, save Charles, our King.
And hear us on the day we call upon you.
O Lord, hear my prayer.
And let my cry come before you.
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Almighty God, we pray,
that your servant Charles, our King,
who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm, may continue to grow in every virtue,
that, imbued with your heavenly grace,
he may be preserved from all that is harmful and evil
and, being blessed with your favour
may, with his consort and the royal family,
come at last into your presence,
through Christ who is the way, the truth and the life
and who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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