Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 19th April 2023
Abbot Paul • April 18, 2023
It’s been a great joy having Abbot Nicholas stay with us for a few days. How we miss him, but understand that he is doing great work with the Downside Community, at present living on the campus at Buckfast Abbey, discerning where their future lies. All monastic communities do that as a matter of course, trying to figure out through prayer and discussion what it is the Lord wants us to do and how he wants us to do it. The same goes for the Belmont Community and for our brethren in Peru. We all want to do what is best for the monks and for those we serve in any way. Most of all, we want to do God’s will through the gift of his grace and the power of his love. Ultimately, we can want nothing else.
Today’s Gospel passage can help us all understand what God wants of us and what he is willing to do for us. We continue listening to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus as found in John, (Jn 3: 16-21). We begin with some of the best known and best loved words of Scripture.
“God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.”
Perhaps the version we know best in the anthem from Stainer’s Crucifixion, which at one time was performed in many churches during Holy Week. What better or greater gift could God give us than his own beloved Son, and given up to death on a cross for our salvation and the forgiveness of our sins? We are all called to faith, a faith that will bring us, through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, to eternal life, life in God. What God wants above all is our salvation and no sacrifice was too great for God to accomplish that and invite us to believe and accept Jesus as Saviour.
Yet sadly, as we know too well, not all believe. They have refused, “to believe in the name of God’s only Son.” In fact, “though the light has come into the world, men have shown they prefer darkness to the light, because their deeds were evil.” Christ is the light of the world, even so, many reject that light and prefer darkness to light. However, all is not lost, for we know that people do often turn to God when the end comes. When they see eternal darkness beckon them, repentant, they turn to the light for acceptance and forgiveness. “The man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.” It is never too late to turn towards the light and seek reconciliation with God, acknowledging that
“God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.”
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully last night. He served this community well for many years, not least Abbot of the Community and before that Headmaster of the School. He was then asked to serve the wider church as Bishop of Menevia. May he know eternal happiness with God whom he served. Please pray for the eternal happiness of Rt. Rev. Dom Mark Jabalé 10th Bishop of Menevia 10th Abbot of Belmont who died 9th May 2025 in the 92nd year of his age, the 73rd year of his monastic life and the 67th year of his priesthood. May he rest in peace
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.
