Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 25th September 2022
Abbot Paul • September 25, 2022
Yesterday we celebrated the feast of Our Lady, so I thought you might like to see one of the oldest statues of Our Lady we have in the monastery, one of La Candelaria, Our Lady of the Taper or Candles, celebrated on 2nd February, Candlemas. She stands above the grave of the two founders of this monastery, mother and daughter, both widows, Lucrecia de Sanzoles and Mencia de Vargas, in Lima in the year 1584. I think she’s my favourite. There are at least half a dozen others.
Yesterday we also began our Canonical Visitation in the Chapter Room after Terce with an encouraging conference given by Abbot Benito. This was followed by interviews from 9.30 to 1.15pm and again after None from 3.15 to 5.30pm, no tea or coffee breaks in Peru. It was hard work concentrating, but only good can come of it. The great thing is that I’ve overcome the intense tiredness I was feeling at Belmont in recent weeks and am quite reinvigorated. Please keep praying for us.
In our Sunday Gospel from Luke, (Lk 16: 19-31), Jesus tells the Pharisees a story as a parable. This might well have been a popular story at the time, which Jesus used as a parable to move them to repentance and conversion, having had little luck so far. It’s known as Dives and Lazarus, a rich man and the poor man at his gate, whose only friends were the dogs who came to lick his wounds, while the rich man banqueted daily and ignored Lazarus. But Lazarus dies and goes to heaven, carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. Not long after, so does the rich man, but he goes to hell, having enjoyed his heaven on earth. He catches a glimpse of Lazarus and begs for a nail full of water, but Abraham says no. Lazarus suffered on earth, when Dives did nothing to help him, so he is now paying for his sins. For Jesus, however, the crunch comes at the end. Abraham tells Dives that if he and his five brothers took no notice of Moses and the prophets, they are hardly going to listen to Lazarus, even if he were to return from the dead, a clear reference to Jesus and the Resurrection. It’s a parable more than relevant for today, a parable that not only invites us to a greater generosity and care for the poor, but also to believe in the Risen Christ with a deeper and more committed faith.
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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.
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Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.