Message of Abbot Paul - Tuesday 6th July
Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 6th July 2021
I apologise for the brevity of today’s message, but I travelled home to visit my mother yesterday and fell asleep after an abundant lunch, only to be woken up an hour later than usual by Toby, demanding we leave immediately for the beach, which we did. That walk certainly woke me up. The sky was ominously grey, the sea angry and the vast expanse of sand devoid of human and animal life. We had a good 90 minutes play with tennis balls, then, among the forest of wild flowers on the dunes, found a different orchid to the ones we usually meet at this time of year. There were just two plants and three flowerheads, quite amazing: that was my highlight of the day.
Today we remember the virgin martyr Saint Maria Goretti, whose murderer sat next to her mother at her canonisation by Pope Pius XII in 1950. Abbot Alan and I had great devotion to her and when we were studying in Rome would often catch the train down to Nettunno to visit her tomb, then walk to Anzio for lunch and spend an afternoon on the beach at Nero’s Villa, swimming and sunbathing. I have such vivid memories of happy days and thank God for them. May St Maria Goretti pray today for young people, who live in moral danger and are the victims of abuse.
Our Gospel passage comes from Matthew, (Mt 9: 32-37), and begins with the healing of a dumb demoniac, a miracle that causes division and argument. “A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’” Whereas ordinary folk see the hand of God in the miracles wrought by Jesus, the Pharisees see the power of the devil at work. They appear to have no power over devils and the forces of evil, but Jesus does. Matthew then gives us a summary of what’s happening at this period of Jesus’ mission. “Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.” This is also a description of how Matthew’s Gospel is neatly organised into sections that systematically present the teaching and the preaching of Jesus and sections that bring together groups of miracles. But there is more in this short interlude, for Matthew tells us how Jesus feels about the situation he is facing, feelings that we most certainly share about the mission of his Church today. Jesus has compassion on the crowds, that are “harassed and dejected.” To him they look just “like sheep without a shepherd.” So he says to his disciples, “The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.” Let us take heed of his words today and pray that the Lord of the harvest send labourers into his harvest. We pray not only for priests, necessary as they are, but for lay pastors and ministers, for religious sisters, for teachers, catechists and parents. Lord of the harvest, send labourers into the harvest we pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
