Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday - Epiphany - 7th January 2024
Abbot Paul • January 6, 2024
Just as Advent is my favourite season of the year, so the Epiphany is my favourite feast in the Church’s calendar. Which is your favourite? There’s a fullness, a completeness about the Epiphany that’s lacking in Christmas, in that it commemorates three great mysteries in which Christ reveals himself to the world. Added to which, of course, there’s been no commercial appropriation of the feast among those for whom the faith aspect means nothing, as has happened, sadly, with Christmas. The three mysteries, as you know, are the coming of the Magi, following the light of a star, to worship with their prophetic gifts the child born to be king. The second is the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist, in which Christ sanctifies the waters of baptism and reveals his true identity to the world. The third Is the changing of water into wine at the Wedding Feast of Cana at the behest of Our Lady, the first miracle that shows Jesus to be the Messiah, Saviour and Author of life. The word Epiphany means manifestation or revelation.
Our Gospel reading comes from Matthew, (2: 1-12), and tells the story of the visit of the Magi to the stable at Bethlehem. “After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?‘ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to worship him’” It’s strange how we have always presumed that there were three Wise Men, when no number is given. In Christian tradition they have even been given names: Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar. Herod, of course, is petrified at the news and summons his chief priests and scribes to discuss the matter and immediately links the birth of this child with the Messiah, Christ. Next, he summons the Wise Men and politely invites them to return once they have visited the child, but they can sense that there is something not quite right in his interest in the child and so decide to return home by another route. They continue following the star. “The sight of the star filled them with delight and, going into the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary and falling to their knees they did him homage.” It is then that they present their gifts. “Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
What do these gifts signify? Again, we are well aware of their significance: gold represents wealth and power, so a kingdom, an empire, that this child is born to be the true king; frankincense represents worship and the temple, that this child is God incarnate; myrrh represents death, the spices used for burial, that this child is born to die, to sacrifice his life that others might live. The gifts point to the Easter mystery: passion, death and resurrection. This is why the Epiphany is known as Easter in Winter. But there are two other epiphanies or manifestations celebrated today, the Baptism of Jesus and the transformation of water into wine. These again point to the Paschal mystery: Cana pointing towards the Last Supper, where wine becomes the Blood of Christ, shed on the Cross for our salvation; the Baptism, as through our own baptism we enter into the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, dying with him in order to rise with him, the Lamb of God. All this I find very exciting and a cause for great rejoicing for Christians for whom Jesus is the very centre of our lives. As we thank God today for the Epiphany of Jesus and rejoice in his loving mercy, let us commit our lives to him as did the Magi in making that arduous trip to Bethlehem. May the search for Christ lie at the heart of our lives, our reason for living. Amen.
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.
