Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 28th February 2023
Abbot Paul • February 28, 2023
Yesterday was an extremely busy day, so it was very late when I finally found a few minutes to write a brief message for today just before going far too late to bed. This morning Toby will be going into Cosy Toes, his usual kennels just a few miles down the road from Belmont, for his Lenten retreat while I’m away in Peru. So among the routine religious duties of the day, there will be washing, cleaning and packing in preparation for the 2.30am departure from Belmont on Wednesday. In the past I always drove myself to Birmingham or Heathrow in time to arrive by 4am for a 6am flight, but I’m beginning to find I’m too exhausted to face that sort of an ordeal. I might still go back to the practice one day, but for the time being I have accepted to extremely kind offer of a parishioner to take me to Birmingham airport. I hope to send a daily message from Peru, though it might be impossible on the days when I am travelling. I hope you will forgive me.
Our Gospel passage for today comes from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, (Mt 6: 7-15), the section in which Jesus teaches his own prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, to his disciples. He begins by telling them, “In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So, you should pray like this:” The kind of prayer the father wants is not the multiplication of words, babbling as Jesus calls it, but a few, simple and straightforward words that go directly to the point. This is the prayer that Jesus teaches them:
“Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test,
but save us from the evil one.”
We know the prayer so well, we sometimes say it without thinking of what we’re saying to God. Perhaps this Lent, we could just slow down and make a prayer of each phrase. Jesus, in his teaching emphasises forgiveness as the hallmark of the Christian. “Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either.” Is this what forgiveness means to me? Is this how I practise forgiveness? Lent is a good time to renew our desire and promise to forgive all those who offend and sin against us. That’s what Jesus came to do on earth. We should make that our mission and way of life too.
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.
