Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday - 2nd January 2024
Abbot Paul • January 1, 2024
The New Year is well on its way and the days are lengthening fast. The weather is pretty miserable, a lot of rain, and fields flooded all over the county. The dawn chorus accompanied Toby and myself as we walk just before six o’clock each morning, a sign of hope that Spring and new life follow Winter. Our brave robins have begun stalking Toby again. So it is with hope on our hearts that we prepare to celebrate the Epiphany of Our Lord at the weekend. How wonderful that once more we can keep this great Solemnity on its proper date, or as close as possible, and that we can enjoy the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas. Can you remember the words of the song and the meaning of what “my true Love” Jesus said to me on each of those days? What a great way to learn the catechism.
Today we celebrate the feast of the influential fourth century Cappadocian Fathers, St Basil the Great and St Gregory Nazianzen, also known as the Theologian. They were close friends, became monks and then bishops, Basil of the small diocese of Caesarea, Gregory of Constantinople. Their writings are still read with enthusiasm today and Basil also wrote a monastic rule, which St Benedict recommends us all to read at the end of his own “little rule for beginners.” It’s a good day on which to pray for the unity of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Our Gospel passage today was also read during Advent. It comes from John, (Jn 1: 19-28), and recounts the witness or testimony of John the Baptist, when scribes and doctors of the law go out to Bethany from Jerusalem to cross examine him about his true identity. Is he the Messiah or not? When they persist in their questioning, he answers them saying, “I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.” Not satisfied, they press ahead by asking why is he baptising people, if he is not the Messiah. He replies, “I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.” In fact, apart from a rather oblique mention in John’s Gospel, we know that Jesus did not baptise as John and others did. Their baptism was symbolic of repentance and conversion, whereas the baptism that Jesus came to bring unites us with God the Father, conforms us to Christ himself and fills us with the Holy Spirit, so that we become temples of the Spirit and members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Jesus would wait until after his Passion, Death and Resurrection before baptising through his apostles in the name of the Holy Trinity. Lord, we thank you for our baptism and for baptising us with the Holy Spirit. May we be true to our Christian vocation throughout the year that lies ahead. Amen.
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.
