Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 2nd May 2023
Abbot Paul • May 2, 2023
Today we keep the feast of St Athanasius of Alexandria, the great theologian and Doctor of the Church, who also wrote the life of St Antony of Egypt, the Father of Christian Monasticism. It was Athanasius who, while still a deacon, saved the Church from falling into generalised heresy by combatting and overcoming the Arians at the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. It was also Athanasius who, on one of his several exiles in Rome, brought monks from Egypt to Rome. These were soon followed by monk refugees from Syria, whom St Benedict met as a young boy in Nursia. The Universal Church owes a great debt to St Athanasius and we should get to know him better and venerate him more.
In today’s Gospel we continue reading from John, (Jn 10: 22-30), the feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem, which follows on from the Discourse or Parable of the Good Shepherd. John. writes: “It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’” The Jewish authorities and the crowd in general want to know if Jesus is the Messiah or not. The very fact that they ask him this question would suggest that many of them do believe or suspect that Jesus is the Messiah. He replies:
“I have told you, but you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness;
but you do not believe,
because you are no sheep of mine.
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice;
I know them and they follow me.
I give them eternal life;
they will never be lost
and no one will ever steal them from me.
The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone,
and no one can steal from the Father.
The Father and I are one.”
Jesus questions their asking him constantly whether he is the Messiah or not. They do not listen to what he says because they do not want to believe. It is clear to Jesus that they simply do not believe. The sheep that listen to his voice do believe and they will be blessed with the gift of eternal life. No one can take them from him, for they have been given him by the Father. He concludes by saying, “The Father and I are one.” There are bound to be objections to these words of Jesus, for to say that he and the Father are one means that he is equal to and with the Father, in other words, God incarnate. This will be considered as blasphemy and a serious cause for his arrest, which ultimately leads to death by crucifixion.
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Good Shepherd, Good Priest “I will seek the lost and bring back the strayed; I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Those words, spoken by the Lord God through the prophet Ezekiel, describe the heart of God, the Good Shepherd — but they also describe the life and ministry of a good monk and priest. They could well be written of Fr Stephen’s years of service as a pastor in Abergavenny, Swansea, Hereford, and Weobley. In each of those places, he shared in the Shepherd’s work: seeking out the lost, binding up the wounded, strengthening the weary, and leading God’s people with quiet faithfulness. And like Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who came close to his people, Fr Stephen did not serve from a distance. He knew his people; he was among them. He shared their sorrows and their joys, their hopes and their disappointments. He bore their burdens with prayer and patience he brought the joy of the Gospel and the grace of the Sacraments. His mission amongst us is complete. He has served God’s good purpose. So today we ask Christ the Good Shepherd to take Stephen on his sacred shoulders and carry him home to the house of the Father. Bind up his wounds, give him eternal rest and lead him at last to the green pastures and still waters of eternal life.
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