Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 12th May
Abbot Paul • May 11, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 12th May 2022
I’m beginning to write this message at 7.15 on Wednesday evening. There are already large numbers of people walking round the garden and coming into church. I’m on kitchen and refectory duty today, so in about 20 minutes, I’ll have to go down and clean the refectory, then do all the washing up. All in a day’s work! Being the second Wednesday in May, we have the May Torchlight Procession in honour of Our Lady, beginning at 9pm. We’ve not been able to have the Procession for two years on account of the Covid Pandemic. Unfortunately, Hedley Lodge is still closed on account of our homeless guests, so we are unable to offer food and drink. Let us hope that next year, it will be possible to organise that again. Hospitality is such an important part of our vocation and ministry as Benedictine monks.
Our Gospel reading today again comes from John, (Jn 13: 16-20), words taken from Jesus’ discourse to his disciples during the Last Supper. “After he had washed the feet of his disciples, Jesus said to them:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
no servant is greater than his master,
no messenger is greater than the man who sent him.’”
Jesus speaks of the significance of the washing of his disciples’ feet. Humility lies at the very heart of the Christian faith and Jesus teaches by example. A servant cannot be greater than his master, nor a messenger greater that the one who sends him. Jesus has been sent by the Father and, in turn, he sends out his Apostles to preach the Gospel. Just as Jesus and the Father are one, so an apostle must be one with Jesus who sends him. Nor is one messenger more important or greater than another: we are all children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ. Of course, Jesus is perfectly right when he then says, “Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly.” Nothing can make us happier than following the example and teaching of Jesus. It’s the one sure way to happiness. Obviously, Jesus was aware that someone would betray him, and as Judas did, so can we come close to betraying Jesus at times. Jesus goes on to say that whoever welcomes a disciple sent by Jesus to proclaim the truth of the Gospel welcomes Jesus himself.
“I tell you most solemnly,
whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me,
and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”
As Jesus reminds us, whoever welcomes Jesus, welcomes the Father, but that welcome isn’t always forthcoming. There are times when those sent by God to proclaim the truth of the Gospel are not well received, perhaps not received at all, or even persecuted and put to death. We must not expect to be treated better then Jesus was. We must walk in his footsteps on the way of the Cross.
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