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.
From Francis to Leo: A special event with Christopher Lamb of CNN in conversation with Austin Ivereigh who commentated for the BBC on the transition from Pope Francis to Pope Leo.
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.
Archbishop Mark O'Toole, of Cardiff-Menevia presided at the Requiem Mass for Bishop Mark, while Abbot Brendan conducted his burial. Cardinal Vincent Nichols preached a homily full of warmth and affection for Bishop Mark which is reproduced below.
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB RIP Given at his funeral by Dom Alexander Kenyon Baby Jean Pierre (Mark) Jabale was born on October 16th, 1933, in Alexandria, Egypt. As he said, himself, his background could be considered “cosmopolitan”: his father was Lebanese / French and his Mother, British / Greek / French. He also reminded people that he wasn’t Egyptian. Through his mother, Arlette, he was related to St. Jean Vianney, so it was, perhaps, no surprise that he followed in his priestly footsteps. His father, Jean, was MD of Fiat and Simca cars Europe and, maybe surprisingly or not, he did love a car – not, however, Italian cars, but German; he loved his Audis. Perhaps we should begin today by remembering his mother and father, his brothers Christian and Paul and his nieces, here today, Aline and Nathalie and Isabelle and their families – they were so dear to him and he to them and I know they miss him enormously. Young Jean wanted to join the Navy and came to England, to Belmont Abbey school but the Lord had other ideas – he ended up joining the rather land locked monastery, our dear, late Fr. Raymund opining that he wouldn’t last a month. After a rather uninspiring course of priestly studies (his words, not mine) he studied for a Licentiate in French literature in Fribourg, then a Dip Ed at Strawberry Hill and played Rugby there – the Papist Witch Doctor as he was affectionately known. Teaching followed, at Belmont, Housemaster, acting Headmaster, then to Alderwasley, our prep school in Derbyshire as Headmaster, and then back to Belmont soon after as Headmaster. In 1983 he went to Peru to build our first monastery there only to realise there was little money. So, he returned to the UK to put in a stint of fundraising with his usual zeal and determination. With his mission accomplished he was asked by Abbot Alan to return to Belmont as his prior in 1986 – Peru remained close to his heart. In 1993 he was elected Abbot. In his time as Abbot, he had to preside over the closure of the school, necessary but no less painful for him. In 2000 he was appointed coadjutor Bishop of Menevia and succeeded Bishop Mullins in 2001. He retired as Ordinary in 2008 and “retired” to Chipping Norton as parish priest, then Hendon, saying Mass for the nuns and helping with confirmations. After a spell at Archbishop’s House, Westminster, living with his great friend Cardinal Nichols, he came home to Belmont – it was as though he had never been away and he loved being back in the monastery, particularly praying the Office with the community. That’s the list, of sorts, but it doesn’t really say “who” he was. I haven’t mentioned his outstanding contribution to rowing – the 1979 coxless, lightweight four gold medal at the world championships in Bled, which almost didn’t happen as, at the last minute, he was told there was no money to send the crew. He begged, cajoled and got them there – the video footage of the final is compelling. He transformed Henley Royal Regatta, writing a computer programme for the race results – he was well ahead of his time. He coached the Oxford Boat, ran the Heads of the River Schools Regatta, and more. What an achievement from someone who had never sat in a boat but learned on the job, as he said, “from books, mainly”. It was his determination, his commitment, his love of people and his drive to share what he had that is, perhaps, one of the key things to celebrate about him. And it was underpinned by his rock-solid faith – nothing overly pious, nothing showy, but a faith and a love of the Lord built on granite. Even his occasional lack of patience (sorry Mark) extended to that faith; ‘why won’t God call me?”. At the risk of being irreverent my response was always “would you want you?”. But God did want him, and he knew it. God had a purpose for his Apostle during his life and he now rests with Him in eternity. His purpose was, simply, to bring the joy of the Lord into the lives of others, in many and varied ways. A few weeks before Mark died, Pope Francis died. When the late Pope was seriously ill the son of friends of mine who entertained Mark and I to lunch regularly, was distraught at overhearing mum and dad say the Pope may die. He couldn’t stop crying. “But darling”, they said, “you don’t know the Pope, why so very sad?”. “We do know him” came the reply, “it’s Mark”. “No, Mark isn’t the Pope”. “Oh, so when the Pope does die will Mark be Pope then?”. Mark loved that one. When Mark himself did die said son would only be pacified by picking flowers from the garden and bringing them to church for him. He wanted to show how much Mark meant to him and wanted to give a little something back. That is the real biography – a man loved, respected, a man who shared what he had, above all his faith, a man who touched so many lives and made them better.  Rest in peace our dear friend.
Our brethren in Peru were delighted with the election of Pope Leo.
