Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 30th October 2022
Abbot Paul • October 30, 2022
Today in Luke, (Lk 19: 1-10), we read one of the loveliest stories in the Gospels, that of Zacchaeus, the short tax collector who wanted to see Jesus. He lived and worked in Jericho, a town some fifteen miles from Jerusalem. This is how Luke tells the story. “Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance: he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody, I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’”
​We hear that Jesus is passing through Jericho when Zacchaeus appeared, having heard that Jesus was nearby. He leaves his post as senior customs officer or a few moments to catch a glimpse of Jesus. Like everyone else, he must have heard a lot about the prophet from Nazareth and was curious to see him, but so was everyone else. Such was the crowd that his short stature prevented him from seeing anything of Jesus, so he runs ahead and climbs a tree, which we’re told by Luke was a sycamore. Beware, this is not the noble British sycamore that we know so well. The tree that Zacchaeus climbed was a ficus-sycomorus or fig-mulberry tree, common in large parts of Africa, as in Egypt and the Holy Land, of the fig family, which can grow to 60 feet and has a considerable spread. It produces a fig-like fruit, which is edible. Jesus looks up and spots this short man in a tall try, so calls him down by name and invites himself for a meal and possible lodging. “I’m going to stay at your house today.” He comes down from the tree and welcomes Jesus, and presumably his entourage, to his home. As always happens, people begin complaining about Jesus accepting the hospitality of Zacchaeus, considered by them all to be a sinner because he was a tax collector. But for Zacchaeus this is a moment of conversion and renewal in his life.
​To begin with, he pledges to give half his wealth to the poor, and then to pay back to any one he has cheated four times the amount. Either he was an honest man, or very rich. Either way, he wanted to make amends for anything he that he had done in the past that might be judged as unjust or sinful. He might well have been a tax collector, but he didn’t want to be tarred with the brush of corruption and injustice. Jesus assures him, as he would us, that today salvation has come to his house. For he too is a son of Abraham, a son of God, and that Jesus has come to seek and find what was lost. Jesus will not rest until we are all saved.
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.
