Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 8th June 2023

This evening I’ll be returning to Belmont, God willing. Pray that the planes are in time. As I did when flying out last Wednesday, I’ll be changing planes at Frankfurt. It was easy and relaxing coming out, so I hope it will be the same going back. I would have enjoyed another week, perhaps at the beach swimming two or three times a day. Who knows, that might be possible next visit. Yesterday we went over Mount Chortiatis to the lake and town of St Basil, such a beautiful ride through the Macedonian countryside, bedecked with wild flowers of every colour. The town of St Basil is famous throughout Greece for the traditional walking and dancing through bonfires that takes place on 1st January to celebrate his feast day. It amazes me to see the number of new monasteries of both men and women that have been built in recent years on the outskirts of the city. We passed by several of them yesterday, vast establishments, full to overflowing, so I am told, of young monks and nuns. There’s certainly big money invested in the modern, state of the art buildings. I wonder what’s holding us back in the U.K.?

Today’s Gospel passage from Mark, (Mk 12: 28-34), tells of the visit of one of the scribes to Jesus. He questions Jesus on the commandments. “Which is the first?” he asks. He finds himself in total agreement with Jesus that the greatest commandment is twofold, to love God above all and our neighbour as ourselves. Jesus comments on his wisdom. “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark comments that as a result of this agreement, no one else dares to ask Jesus another question. The question for us is whether we truly agree with Jesus as the scribe did.