Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 11th January 2023
Abbot Paul • January 10, 2023
I warned you yesterday that Tuesday was due to be a very busy day, with little or no spare time to sit down and write a message, let alone think and pray about it beforehand, so apologies for the poverty of this offering.
​Yesterday we read of Jesus in the synagogue and today, in Mark’s Gospel, (Mk 1: 29-35), we follow Jesus to the home of Andrew and Peter, accompanied by James and John. All four live with their respective families in Capernaum, where Jesus has now moved from Nazareth to set up the headquarters, so to speak, of his mission in Galilee. We discover that Simon’s mother-in-law is in bed with a fever, whereupon Jesus goes to her, takes her by the hand, lifts her up and heals her. From lying prostrate in bed, she turns to serving the group at table. Then, after sunset, crowds appear bringing the sick for healing. Mark talks of the “whole town crowding round the door.” Jesus heals those who are sick and casts out devils from those who are possessed. We are told that Jesus silenced the devils, “because they knew who he was.” This activity seems to have gone on all through the night.
​Then Mark tells us that, “in the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.” This is the first time that Mark reports on Jesus’ custom to seek solitude for pray, something that both he and the other evangelists will report as happening frequently. It is also in his prayer life that Jesus reveals his divine sonship. “Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him, they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.” Jesus’ mission begins in earnest and his first disciples go with him. They really have begun to follow him, just as they promised they would, and he has made them “fishers of men.”
A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.
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.
