Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 12th December 2023

Today’s will be a short message as I spent yesterday afternoon with a local dentist, who was attending to a loose crown. She will be replacing it in the course of the week. My experience with Peruvian dentists in the past has always been excellent. In the morning, I accompanied some of the brethren as they coated chocolate chip panettones with melted Belgian fondant chocolate. You can’t help but admire their patience and talent.

Today in the Americas we keep the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, that icon of a pregnant indigenous woman, Mary Mother of all God’s children, written with natural dies on the cloak of St Juan Diego, to whom she said, “Am I not here with you, I who am your Mother?” Today she will say these words to each one of us, and especially to Br Antonio, who will be making his First Profession.

Today’s Gospel passage is that of the Parable of the Sheep that went astray, from Matthew, (Mt 18: 12-14). As a story it’s an exaggeration. What shepherd would leave ninety nine sheep in the fold and go off to look for the one who had strayed? But that’s the whole point, God’s love for us is so great that he alone of all shepherds would. And that’s what Jesus came to do, to seek out and to find those who were lost and had gone astray. Jesus will not rest until each one of us is safe in his arms.