Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 19th February 2023
Abbot Paul • February 18, 2023
Those who know Fr Andrew, Parish Priest of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs on the Belmont Road and Oblate Master, will be overjoyed to learn that his by-pass operation went well yesterday, according to plan, the hospital said, and that he is comfortable, but not allowed to speak with anyone. We pray for his complete recovery and that, restored to health, he will return to his many duties in due course. May Our Lady take care of him and fill his heart with joy.
​Our Gospel passage today comes from Matthew, (Mt 5: 38-48), in which we continue reading the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus explains to his disciples how the Law of Israel, God’s Law, should be kept. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees who emphasise a literal observance of the Law and the countless minutiae we find in the Pentateuch, Jesus goes to the heart of the matter: the Law should help us to love God above all else and all others and our neighbour as ourselves, leading us to be holy and perfect as God is holy and perfect. After all, we were created in the image and likeness of God, and through Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection re-created in his image and likeness through assimilation and aggregation to the Body of Christ, becoming living stones in that Body and Temples of the Holy Spirit. If God is merciful, loving and forgiving, then should we be any different? Can there be room in our hearts for hatred or a spirit of revenge, when God himself does not behave like this? Jesus came to forgive sins not to store up punishment for sinners.
​Let us now read what Jesus teaches his disciples, among whom he counts us, his dear friends, and vow to live according to his teaching and example, that like him, our loving Saviour, we too might become, ”perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.
‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’”
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.
