Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 23rd February 2023
Abbot Paul • February 22, 2023
It was a joy to see so many parishioners come to Mass yesterday and begin Lent by receiving the ashes as a sign of repentance and commitment to Christ. I was surprised at the numbers, just over half of those who regularly come to Sunday Mass. Interestingly, although numbers dropped for obvious reasons on account of Covid, our numbers have now recovered and are somewhat higher than they were before the pandemic began. In addition, we no longer have retreatants to bolster our numbers. The truth is that people are drawn to Jesus, just as they were in his lifetime on earth, as we read in the Gospels. We want to meet him, hear him, get to know him and be healed by his presence in our lives. We know that at Mass, he is present in the scriptures, in the sacrament, in the priest and in the congregation. The Mass is the celebration of the presence of Christ in our midst and in our hearts.
​Today’s short Gospel passage to help us on our Lenten journey comes from Luke, (Lk 9: 22-25), two short sayings of Jesus. The first is about himself, the second what he expects of his followers. Only to his disciples he says, “The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.” Rejection, which they are already experiencing with him, suffering and death lie ahead, but the story doesn’t end there, for he will be raised on the third day. Passion, Death and Resurrection go hand in hand in Jesus’ teaching as in his life. Although he will suffer grievously, it is the way that leads to life, true and eternal. What he says of himself prepares us for what he asks of his disciples.
​“If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it. What gain, then, is it for a man to have won the whole world and to have lost or ruined his very self?” Jesus only asks his followers to follow his own example and do what he will do. They are to give up their own will, take up their cross each day and walk where he has led. He doesn’t ask us to do what he is not prepared to do himself. It is only by renunciation of our own will that we save our lives and enter with Jesus into glory. For us too, Passion and Death lead to Resurrection and eternal life. That is the journey we begin each year on Ash Wednesday.
A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.
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.
