Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 15th December 2022

Yesterday, the feast of St John of the Cross, was a special day of prayer and thanksgiving for me, as I was elected Abbot of Belmont on this day 22 years’ ago. It was also a special day for our local Archdiocese of Cardiff, as one of our priests, Canon Peter Collins, was consecrated and enthroned at Bishop of East Anglia in Norwich, the city of Blessed Julian. We pray for him as he begins his ministry in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, a long way away from his native Wales. Our heartfelt congratulations to Bishop Peter. In Welsh, llongyfarchiadau.

 

​Today’s Gospel comes from Luke, (Lk 7: 24-30), where we hear Jesus speaking of John the Baptist to the crowds with whom John was so popular. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Oh no, those who go in for fine clothes and live luxuriously are to be found at court! Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: See, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare the way before you.” For Jesus, John is not only a prophet, but more than a prophet. Indeed, he is the one spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, the Messiah’s personal messenger, who goes before him to prepare his way.

 

Then Jesus speaks of John’s ministry, highlighting the failure of the scribes and Pharisees to pay attention to John’s teaching, for they refuse the gift of conversion and baptism as a sign of repentance and forgiveness. ”I tell you, of all the children born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is. All the people who heard him, and the tax collectors too, acknowledged God’s plan by accepting baptism from John; but by refusing baptism from him the Pharisees and the lawyers had thwarted what God had in mind for them.” No one greater than John has ever walked the face of the earth, and, yet, the least in the kingdom is greater than he. Jesus’ respect and admiration for John knows no bounds, but Jesus is clear that he himself is the Messiah, the Christ, and John, the prophet or messenger.