Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 22nd November 2022

This week we have a spate of feast days as we speed towards the end of the liturgical year and the beginning of the Church’s New Year on Advent Sunday. To mark the beginning of Advent, we’ll be having our Advent Carol Service at Belmont this Saturday evening, 26th November, at 7.30pm, a service of wonderful readings and glorious Advent music. Everyone is welcome. Do come and join us. Getting back to today, we keep the feast of St Cecilia, the Roman virgin martyr, venerated by all Christians, who died a martyr’s death on this day in the year 230. There might well have been an earlier Sicilian martyr of the same name. She was martyred at the same time as her husband, Valerian, who had respected her virginity and was baptised through her influence and holiness, and brother-in-law, Tibertius. She is, of course, the patron of church music, composers, musicians, especially organists, and singers. Her popularity testifies to the importance of music in the Church’s liturgy.

 

​Our Gospel passage for today comes from Luke, (Lk 21: 5-11), and describes a visit that Jesus made to the Temple in Jerusalem. He listens as people talk about its beauty and wealth, its carvings and adornments. He reacts by saying, “All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.” Is this a prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in the year 70, when the Temple was destroyed and raised to the ground? They ask for a sign. “Master, when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place? Jesus warns them to be careful of false prophets, some of whom will use his name, purporting to speak on his behalf. Even should there be wars and revolutions, they are not to be afraid. They will witness or hear of earthquakes, plagues and famines, but these too will not necessarily be signs that the end is about to come. We are to be vigilant and never lose our trust in God. In his hands we are safe, even in the midst of persecution and death. St Cecilia took these words of Jesus to heart and accepted martyrdom with joy and thanksgiving, knowing that she was in God’s hands and that he loved her.