Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 16th July 2023
Abbot Paul • July 16, 2023
Reading today’s Gospel aloud at the Vigil Mass yesterday afternoon, it struck me how long and longwinded it is, with hardly any need to preach a homily as Jesus himself explains the parable of the sower for the preacher! Why repeat what Jesus has already said as though the congregation were unable to understand what he’s saying? I wonder if Jesus always did that, yet only a few explanations are recorded. I couldn’t help but feel that Isaiah, whom we heard in the first reading, did a better job of it than Matthew, whose Gospel we were reading, (Mt 13: 1-23). Let’s listen to Isaiah, (Is 55: 10-11).
“Thus says the Lord: ‘As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.’” It’s all about the effect of God’s word on our lives and on our hearts and minds. Snow and rain have a powerful, necessary and immediate effect on nature. God’s word, by which all that is came to be in the beginning and all is now sustained, cannot but have a profound effect on those who hear it, especially those who hear it regularly in faith and with an open heart. It is bound to carry out God’s will and succeed in bringing about what it is sent to do. Just think of the Eucharist as an example. When Jesus says of the bread, “This is my Body, which is given for you,’ that bread becomes both his Body and the Sacrifice of Calvary by which we are saved. The same goes for the wine, which becomes his Blood. When God says to us, “I baptise you, I forgive you, I consecrate you, Receive the Holy Spirit, and so on” his word has the power to bring about and create what it says. Only we can get in the way and prevent this from happening. How often have you and I said ‘NO” to God?
A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.
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.
