Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 24th January 2023
Abbot Paul • January 24, 2023
As we’ve been reading the past few days, Sunday included, although from Matthew, Mark tells us how Jesus moved from Nazareth to Capernaum to begin his ministry and how Capernaum became his headquarters. Today, Mark, (Mk 3: 31-35), recounts how the family of Jesus came over to Capernaum from Nazareth to see him. We are not told why they came, nor is there any mention made that they might have been worried about him or preoccupied for him. We are simply told that they came asking for him. His mother and brothers and sisters want to see him. This description of the visitors is repeated no less than four times in the short episode. They want to talk with him. We don’t know whether they would have liked him to return to Nazareth or if they came bringing gifts from home, especially food. All we know is that they arrive, stand outside the house (it must have been crowded) and ask for him. The message is passed on to Jesus. He doesn’t get up to go out, but looks at the crowd, his hearers, and says, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” Then he adds, looking round at those sitting in a circle around him, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.”
Did he then go out to see them and speak with them? We don’t know, we’re not told. Perhaps that isn’t the point of the story, rather the words of Jesus that he is forming a new concept of family, not one based on blood ties but on faith and discipleship, his mystical Body, the Church, God’s family, in which all those who believe and follow him are brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, the Gospels present us with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as the very first believer of the New Testament, she who believed God’s word and promise, said YES to God and conceived the Word made flesh, God Incarnate, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. But who were these brothers and sisters? An ancient explanation is that they were the children of Joseph by an earlier marriage. We notice that Joseph isn’t mentioned after the infancy and childhood of Jesus, so he had probably died by then, leaving his older children, the half-brothers and sisters of Jesus in Mary’s household. This has always made sense to me and saves us searching after other explanations or theories.
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.
