Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 9th June
Abbot Paul • June 8, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 9th June 2022
Last night we held a meeting in the Parish Centre to organise the Belmont Parish Fete which takes place on Saturday, June 25th, beginning at 2pm. Yet again, it was interesting to see that only women turned up for the meeting, highly organised and motivated women with great experience at running these events. The only gentlemen present were Fr Augustine and myself. The facts speak for themselves, no need to comment! I can see it’s going to be a fantastic event this year, with something for everyone. You are all invited, and if you’d like to help in anyway, you’re more than welcome to join in with the team, and you don’t have to be a lady!
Although the Church in England and Wales has taken up the celebration of the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest, on the Thursday after Pentecost, I’ll just say a few words about the Gospel of the Feria so as not to interrupt our reading of the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew, (Mt 5: 20-26). “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘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 saying of Jesus, for in it he recognises the virtue or active goodness of the scribes and Pharisees, who aimed for perfection according to their own reading of the Law. They kept the letter, if not the spirit of the Law, so often got things wrong, but at least they did try. Jesus warns the disciples that if their virtue goes no deeper, then neither will they enter the kingdom of heaven. He then goes on to give examples of what he means. “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.”
In the Parables and in his teaching in general, Jesus will often use exaggeration to make a point or to bring out his meaning. Here he takes the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” For Jesus, this commandment is far more than an injunction about murder, the killing of the body. For Jesus this commandment includes anger, detraction, taking a person’s name in vain, lying about them or insulting them, in other words, killing their good name. He also suggests how they should behave if they are at loggerheads with a neighbour or have offended someone or, perhaps, been offended. Before they offer sacrifice at the altar, they are to be reconciled. That is the meaning of the sign or kiss of peace before Communion at Mass. Let us pray, as disciples of Jesus, for the grace to follow his teaching and so bring peace to our lives and the lives of others, especially our families and those among whom we live and work.
Br Meinrad and Br Gildas attend a special service with the Benedictine community of St Paul's Outside the Walls with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Honesty and Love Before God: Pharisee and Tax Collector; Pope and King - a homily by Abbot Brendan for the 30th Sunday of the Year.
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.
With honoured guests we were delighted to open our doors again of our new guesthouse and conference centre: The Chapterhouse.
"A hymn to the human body." Abbot Brendan's Homily at the annual Mass celebrated at Rotherwas Chapel in Hereford that dates from the 1580s on the feast of the Assumption.
From Francis to Leo: A special event with Christopher Lamb of CNN in conversation with Austin Ivereigh who commentated for the BBC on the transition from Pope Francis to Pope Leo.
On 12th June an Ecumenical Service was held at Hereford Cathedral to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea.
