Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 19th October 2023
Abbot Paul • October 18, 2023
Today I am looking forward to visiting my mother. Although she would like Toby and me to visit more often, I limit our trips home as I don’t want to give her too much hard work. I am more than aware of her age and frailty and the fact that she insists on doing everything herself without help from outside. Even I have the greatest difficulty doing anything to help her, other than shopping with her online. After an exhausting day yesterday, made worse by a rushed journey back to Belmont in the rain in order to be here for Vespers, ​
In today’s Gospel passage from Luke, (Lk 11: 47-54), we hear the concluding words of Jesus to the scribes and Pharisees, spoken at table in the house of the Pharisee who had invited him to a meal. His words are harsh and his host and the others take it badly, as one would expect. He criticises their hypocrisy at building the tombs of the prophets whom their ancestors killed, something they will continue to do with contemporary prophets such as John the Baptist and Jesus himself as well as with the apostles who will continue his work after his death and resurrection. To the lawyers he says, “Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to.” Instead of giving their contemporaries hope and the kind of helpful teaching they need to live a life pleasing to God and worthy of his kingdom, they complicate the observance of the law with superficial observances that simply confuse people and tie their hearts and minds in knots, so that they remain bogged down in despair.
​You can imagine that, when Jesus leaves the house, the situation gets very much worse, for “the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions, setting traps to catch him out in something he might say.” You could say that the teaching of Jesus to that gathering of scribes (lawyers) and Pharisees has amounted to a declaration of war and that from this moment they will be on the attack, on the lookout to try every possible way to trap him into making declarations that are clearly against what they regard to be the correct interpretation of the Law of Israel. Ultimately, they will succeed, but in succeeding, they will fail dismally, when Jesus rises from the dead. Let us pray today for the grace always to follow the teaching and example of Jesus so that we might experience and enjoy the freedom of the sons and daughters of God.
Pope Francis RIP Pope 2013-2025 Born 1936, Died 2025 We are deeply saddened at the passing of Pope Francis. As the successor of St Peter he has been a spiritual father and shepherd to the church in our day, challenging us, and calling as to reach out to those on the peripheries. He was the first Jesuit Pope, but took the name Francis after the Poor Man of Assisi who modelled for him a closeness to the poor, a concern for those on the margins of society and a care for all of creation In his preaching Pope Francis always spoke of the joy of the Gospel and encouraged us to reflect the joy of our faith in our lives. He showed the compassion of Jesus to everyone. He worked tirelessly for the unity of the church and travelled even to non-Christian countries promoting a message of peace. He has left a great legacy. With the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio with the community over Easter we were able to express our closeness to the Holy Father in his final suffering. There will be a special Mass at Belmont this Thursday 24th April at 11am to pray for Pope Francis as he makes his final journey to the house of the Father. On the day of his funeral, the Office of the Dead will be sung, and Mass that day will be a Requiem. May the angels lead him into paradise; may the martyrs receive him at his arrival and lead him to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive him and with Lazarus, the poor man grant him eternal rest." (The In Paradisum, words from the Funeral Liturgy)
We were were honoured and delighted to be joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to celebrate Easter. His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía is the representative of the Holy See in Great Britain, and therefore of the Holy Father. His presence on Easter Sunday morning brought us more consciously in communion with Pope Francis, the successor of St Peter, as we heard the Gospel story of Peter running to the tomb. His patron saint is St Michael, so afterwards, at a festive lunch we were able to present him with some Belmont cufflinks with the monastery coat of arms - very similar to his as Archbishop. We were able to pray for him and his work in this country.
