Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday - 11th February 2024
Abbot Paul • February 10, 2024
The Belmont Community was overjoyed yesterday to welcome three young monks from Peru. Brothers Antonio, Miguel and Saul arrived from Buckfast Abbey where they had spent two weeks together with novices and juniors from other monasteries including Belmont on a novitiate study programme. The next of these courses will take place at Belmont in the middle of March, so our Peruvian brethren will remain at Belmont until the Octave of Easter comes to an end. At Buckfast they enjoyed the company of Brothers Meinrad, Gildas and Robert, as well as of Fr Michael. It’s important for young monks to get to know each other, although overcoming the language barrier can be a difficulty. Whereas Br Miguel and Br Saul’s first language is Spanish, Br Antonio’s is Quechua, the language of the Incas. I hope you can get to meet them.
Today’s Gospel passage from Mark, (Mk 1: 40-15), recounts the healing of a leper for whom Jesus has compassion. “A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course, I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.”
People with leprosy and similar ailments were considered to be unclean sinners and were outcasts of society. No one was allowed to mix with them, let alone touch them, yet Jesus allows the man to come to him and plead on his knees. Not only that, he touches him in order to cure him. The leper for his part is humble and polite, not demanding a cure but asking Jesus if he is willing to heal him. All Jesus asks of him in return is to tell no one but go straight to a priest to give thanks and to make the offering to God for healing as prescribed in the Law of Moses. So overcome is the man by the healing of his leprosy, so transformed is his life, that he can’t help himself from telling everyone he sees that Jesus has healed him. The result is that Jesus can no longer go about freely, but has to go into hiding. Even so, crowds begin to search for him, either out of curiosity or really wanting to hear his teaching or ask for a cure. Lord Jesus, come to us today and heal our minds and bodies. Touch our hearts with the healing power of your 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.
