Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 17th May 2023
Abbot Paul • May 16, 2023
Meetings, meetings, meetings! I’ve never been a meetings man, so any meeting is a taste of purgatory for me. Now I accept they can be important and that necessary decisions have to be made that affect our lives as well as the lives of others, but I just wish I didn’t have to take part in the meetings myself. Monday night it was Churches Together, last night the Parish Council and tonight the Fete Committee. Still, following on from last night’s meeting, and after speaking with my mother, I did have the joy of walking with Toby and Fr Alex in the cemetery and the monastery garden. I’ll attach a few photographs.
Our short Gospel passage for the eve of the Ascension completes the text we were reading from John yesterday, (Jn 16: 12-15).
“I still have many things to say to you
but they would be too much for you now.
But when the Spirit of truth comes
he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking as from himself
but will say only what he has learnt;
and he will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me,
since all he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine;
that is why I said:
All he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.”
Jesus is aware that his time with the disciples is coming to an end. Now the interesting thing about the Farewell Discourse is that, although given at the Last Supper before his Passion, Death and Resurrection, it could equally have been given in preparation for his Ascension and return to the Father. There is only so much the disciples can take in and understand, just like ourselves, but when they receive the Spirit of truth, the Spirit will lead them into the complete truth and they will understand at last what Jesus has been telling them. Just as Christ and the Father are one, so Christ and the Spirit are one and what the Spirit teaches will be the words and teaching of Christ himself. The Spirit of truth will speak for the Father and the Son, for God is One and his teaching is one.
On the Commemoration of All Souls, Abbot Brendan reflects on the experience of death within a monastic community, the meaning of Purgatory, and St Benedict’s invitation never to lose hope in the mercy of God.
The Belmont community visit Dowlais, and remember the Benedictine Mission to South Wales as the country remembers the Aberfan disaster.
We welcomed the Knights and Dames from the Midlands and South Wales and thanked God for their mission and service.
A double celebration on the feast of St Michael and All Angels
A School of Love by the Wye: Abbot Brendan on the Cistercians on the Feast of the Holy Cross.
The Blessing of new Icons for the Churches in Stratford-upon-Avon, with inspiring talks by the Abbot Primate and Dr Rowan Williams.
“O Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory abides.”
