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.
Pope Francis RIP Pope 2013-2025 Born 1936, Died 2025 We are deeply saddened at the passing of Pope Francis. As the successor of St Peter he has been a spiritual father and shepherd to the church in our day, challenging us, and calling as to reach out to those on the peripheries. He was the first Jesuit Pope, but took the name Francis after the Poor Man of Assisi who modelled for him a closeness to the poor, a concern for those on the margins of society and a care for all of creation In his preaching Pope Francis always spoke of the joy of the Gospel and encouraged us to reflect the joy of our faith in our lives. He showed the compassion of Jesus to everyone. He worked tirelessly for the unity of the church and travelled even to non-Christian countries promoting a message of peace. He has left a great legacy. With the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio with the community over Easter we were able to express our closeness to the Holy Father in his final suffering. There will be a special Mass at Belmont this Thursday 24th April at 11am to pray for Pope Francis as he makes his final journey to the house of the Father. On the day of his funeral, the Office of the Dead will be sung, and Mass that day will be a Requiem. May the angels lead him into paradise; may the martyrs receive him at his arrival and lead him to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive him and with Lazarus, the poor man grant him eternal rest." (The In Paradisum, words from the Funeral Liturgy)
We were were honoured and delighted to be joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to celebrate Easter. His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía is the representative of the Holy See in Great Britain, and therefore of the Holy Father. His presence on Easter Sunday morning brought us more consciously in communion with Pope Francis, the successor of St Peter, as we heard the Gospel story of Peter running to the tomb. His patron saint is St Michael, so afterwards, at a festive lunch we were able to present him with some Belmont cufflinks with the monastery coat of arms - very similar to his as Archbishop. We were able to pray for him and his work in this country.
