Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 30th November 2023
Abbot Paul • November 30, 2023
We are about to begin the season of Advent and a new Christian year of celebration of the life of Our Lord. But before that happens, we are called to keep the feast of St Andrew the Apostle, brother of St Peter. According to John’s Gospel, he was a disciple of St John the Baptist and the first to be called by Jesus. It was he who introduced Peter to Jesus. To Eastern Christians he is known as the Πρωτόκλητος, the First Called, and is thought to have founded the see of Constantinople. It’s strange to note that he has a Greek name and that no Hebrew equivalent is given in the Gospel; it means manly or brave. He is the patron saint of nine other countries as well as Scotland and of countless cities, towns and parishes. Try counting the number of ancient churches dedicated to him in Herefordshire alone. He was, as you know, a fisherman on the Sea of Tiberius (Galilee). On hearing the invitation of Jesus, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men,” he left his nets at once and followed Jesus. We pray for a portion of his obedient disposition and willingness to follow Jesus and work with him to bring others to reconciliation and peace with God.
Here is the Gospel text:
“As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.”
What do we know of Andrew from this passage? Well, that he was Simon Peter’s brother and that they were fishermen. In fact, they were making a cast with their net in the lake when Jesus came across them. He found them working hard. At his invitation to follow him and become fishers of men, they down tools there and then and follow him. Andrew and Peter were neighbours and probably relatives of James and John and their father Zebedee. They leave their boat and their father in order to follow Jesus. Jesus must have known them already. Theories are many, but there is scant evidence here. More can be gleaned from John. Let us ask the Lord today for that same spirit of obedience which the first disciples displayed in leaving all things to follow him.
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We are sad to announce that Fr Stephen died on Monday 21st October 2055. He was 94. He died peacefully in hospital, having recently fractured his shoulder. He was a beloved member of the monastic community, who had settled back at Belmont after many years on Belmont parishes, including in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford and Weobley. He will be much missed. His Requiem Mass will be at Belmont on Wednesday, 5th November at 11.30am followed by burial in the monastic cemetery. The Reception of his Body into the Abbey Church will take place on Tuesday, 4th November, at 5.45pm.
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