Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 10th September 2023

God has always revealed himself to be kind and forgiving to those who are sinners and disobey his word and example. In Jesus Christ, the Father has revealed to us how far he is willing to go to forgive us our sins, to redeem us and reconcile us to himself. I often quote that breathtaking phrase of St Paul, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.” (2 Corinthians 5: 19) It is a summary of the Bible and all Christian Theology in just a few words. Through faith and baptism, we become one with Christ, members of his Body, living stones that make up the Body of Christ. This means that in Christ God is also in us reconciling the world to himself. Our common vacation as Christians, then, is to reconcile others with God in Christ, forgiving them their sins and offenses and inviting them to forgive others and one another. This is what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer. “Forgive us as we forgive.”

 

​In today’s Gospel from Matthew, (Mt 18: 15-20), Jesus explains to his disciples how they should practice the art of forgiveness in the Christian community, in the Church. “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.” Jesus encourages his disciples to go out of their way to be reconciled with a brother or sister who has offended them or whom they might have offended. Every effort must be made to arrive at a reconciliation; no stone must go unturned. However, if in the end all fails, as it often does, then the consequences are dire for both parties. It’s noteworthy that St Benedict insists that at this stage we should continue to pray for reconciliation and never stop until our goal is reached. We must continue to trust in God, that his will be done in every creature and in every situation.

 

​Jesus then emphasises the need to do things together, as a group or team, a community, a parish, a Church. “I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” The unity of his followers, of his Church, is of paramount importance to Jesus. I pray that all those who try to tear his Church apart, those who attack and criticise the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for example, would pay heed to the words of Jesus. Again, Jesus insists that we should always be united in prayer. “I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” We sometimes become disheartened by the smallness of our congregations that gather for Mass or other services. Jesus envisages two or three gathering together in his name. It’s not the numbers that matter, but the unity. We must never forget that.