Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 15th June 2023

This evening Archbishop Mark will be coming up from Cardiff to celebrate Mass and confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on eight candidates, five from Belmont, two from Usk and one from Leominster. I would like to thank Fr Augustine for preparing the candidates with clarity and theological depth. It’s always a great honour to receive the Archbishop and welcome him to our parish.

 

​Could I please make another request for people to come forward to help with the final preparations for the Parish Summer Fete? When I visited the Parish Centre yesterday morning, there was but one dear old lady struggling to put things in order. She spoke movingly of how she would very much appreciate more and younger helpers.

 

​Yesterday, I was able to take part in another Safeguarding course, run by the RLSS, the Religious Life Safeguarding Service. This was a course specifically for Trustees and I was joined by Fr Andrew. We both found the course helpful and informative. Then, in the afternoon, I drove to the Crematorium to take the funeral service a young Polish gentleman I believe was a parishioner of St Francis Xavier. It was one of those sad occasions when I wish I had a few words of Polish and could read the prayers and readings in that difficult language.

 

​Our Gospel passage today continues our reading of the Sermon on the Mount, (Mt 5: 20-26), in which Jesus instructs his disciples on the necessity for reconciliation within the Christian community. He begins by saying, “If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” This is a very important statement of Jesus, for in it he recognises the virtue of the scribes and Pharisees. They might be hypocritical at times or misinterpret the Law for their own benefit, but essentially, they are not evil men, mistaken perhaps, but trying to do what they think right.

 

​Looking at the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” Jesus is aware that there are many ways in which we can kill a brother, not simply literally. He wants his disciples to go to the heart of the Law and apply it to every moment and area of life. Here is what he says. “You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill, he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother ‘Fool’ he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him ‘Renegade’ he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.”