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.
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Sat 13th December, 10.00am-12.30am We are delighted that the acclaimed Cistercian writer, Fr Michael Casey will be with us in December.
Monday 1st to Thursday 4th December 2025. Our first Advent retreat in our newly opened guesthouse
Good Shepherd, Good Priest “I will seek the lost and bring back the strayed; I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Those words, spoken by the Lord God through the prophet Ezekiel, describe the heart of God, the Good Shepherd — but they also describe the life and ministry of a good monk and priest. They could well be written of Fr Stephen’s years of service as a pastor in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford, and Weobley. In each of those places, he shared in the Shepherd’s work: seeking out the lost, binding up the wounded, strengthening the weary, and leading God’s people with quiet faithfulness. And like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who came close to his people, Fr Stephen did not serve from a distance. He knew his people; he was among them. He shared their sorrows and their joys, their hopes and their disappointments. He bore their burdens with prayer and patience he brought the joy of the Gospel and the grace of the Sacraments. His mission amongst us is complete. He has served God’s good purpose. So today we ask Christ the Good Shepherd to take Stephen on his sacred shoulders and carry him home to the house of the Father. Bind up his wounds, give him eternal rest and lead him at last to the green pastures and still waters of eternal life.