Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 14th July
Abbot Paul • July 13, 2022
Another excellent day’s discussion and learning at General Chapter yesterday with experienced professionals in the field of Safeguarding to guide us. The days are passing by quickly and it will soon be the weekend. So far there has been no free time, even to see the abbey grounds or pay a visit to the abbey shops. On Sunday I am hoping to visit Exeter Cathedral, which I have never seen.
Our Gospel passage today is very short. Again it’s from Matthew, (Mt 11: 28-30) and is one of Jesus’ most famous sayings. Chapter 11 of Matthew does read rather like a collection of sayings pronounced by Jesus at various times and simply put together for convenience and in order not to lose them. Here it is: “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yolk and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”
Jesus came to befriend us, forgive us our sins, reconcile us with our heavenly Father and give us new life. He invites us to hand over our burdens to him and, in exchange, to shoulder his yoke and learn from him how to be truly gentle and humble of heart, peace-loving and the servant of all. Lord, transform our lives, we pray, by the Grace of the Holy Spirit, that we might always walk with Jesus. Amen.
At a solemn Mass, the feast of St Basil and St Gregory, Br Alban makes his promises as a claustral oblate.
Belmont Abbey Organ is the second largest organ in the County of Herefordshire. It has 3 manuals (keyboards) and 54 stops and is second only to the organ of Hereford Cathedral (4 Manuals and 67 stops) - Belmont has the largest organ in our Catholic Diocese.