Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 17th May

Abbot Paul • May 16, 2022

Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 17th May 2022

One of the joys of Spring and Summer is feeding our goldish, koi, orfes and other fish. For some unknown reason, most of our goldfish are white rather than red. I’ve not been able to discover why that it. They seem to get bigger by the day and are a great attraction for our local grey herons and, sadly, for the occasional wild mink. There are also otters nearby, but they tend not to come to our ornamental pond. We keep a net in place day and night to protect the fish. I would be happy to give some of our white fish away, but they are quite big now. The bigger brutes we will keep! Whenever I mention fish to Toby, he rushes to the pond by a roundabout route, for it also involves a game with a football. I’m fascinated by the daily rituals we go through both with Toby and with the fish.

Our Gospel reading from John today, (Jn 14: 27-31), takes us further into the Farewell Discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper. Speaking with his disciples, he says,

“Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,

a peace the world cannot give,

this is my gift to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.

If you loved me, you would have been glad to know

that I am going to the Father,

for the Father is greater than I.

I have told you this now before it happens,

so that when it does happen you may believe.”

The peace that Jesus gives us is not the absence of war, or of noise, or

of disagreement. It is not the absence of pain and hurt, of abuse and violence, nor the absence of anxiety and worry, of fear and doubt. Rather, it is that peace of mind, that inner calm, the presence of Christ in our hearts, that enables us to remain at peace within ourselves, with the world and with God in the midst of suffering and turmoil. One of the desert fathers described the peace of Christ which passes all understanding as the ability to put our hand into the very heart of the flames of Hell and not flinch, for Christ is with us with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It is Christ’s gift and only he can give it. This is why he can say, “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid”. When I read these words of Jesus, I realise how far I am from that peace and unworthy of his gifts. The important thing is that we’re getting there, slowly, patiently, lovingly. That’s all that matters.

Jesus then warns his disciples of his impending death, but assures them that, “The prince of this world has no power over me.” The victory of the forces of evil and death will be apparent and momentary, but unreal and unsubstantial, for Christ shares the Father’s life and what he is doing is the Father’s will.

“The world must be brought to know

that I love the Father

and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.”

So all that is to come, not only his Passion and Death, but also his Resurrection and Ascension and the Sending Forth of the Holy Spirit is the Father’s will. Jesus asks us, as he asked his disciples, to believe by following in his footsteps and opening our hearts to all God’s most precious gifts.

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