Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 1st September
Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 1st September 2021
I was pleased to be able to visit my mother again yesterday with my dog Toby. Fortunately, there was very little traffic, although the roads were studded with roadworks, breakdowns and accidents. The beach was calm and peaceful, as I have never seen it before, and the sea smooth as glass. There were a number of dogs walking their owners, so Toby was able to make new friends. The highlight of my trip was our lunch of homemade gnocchi, not to be compared with what goes under that name in shops and restaurants, followed by a long siesta. Obviously, being Italian, gnocchi were just one of several dishes and, of course, before leaving for Belmont there was supper. Toby doesn’t get left out. He also looks forward to his gourmet experience. I thoroughly enjoyed walking on the beach, as at present I find it easier and less painful to walk than to stand still or sit. The doctor says it’s osteoarthritis, for which I am receiving treatment, but at times it’s excruciatingly painful. Lord, give me patience. Toby must be wondering why I’ve slowed down.
Today, as we begin a new month and are two thirds through the year, which still feels like a new year, we continue our reading of Luke, (Lk 4: 38-44), with three short paragraphs: the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, the sick and those possessed by evil spirits are brought to Jesus who heals them and the crowds pursue Jesus as he tries to find a lonely place, where he can be alone and pray. What can we learn from these episodes? All Jesus has to do to lift the high fever from which the mother of the house is suffering is to lean over her and rebuke the fever the leave her. The healing is immediate and complete, for she at once gets up and begins to serve her guests. In the evening, we see people bringing their friends and neighbours to be cured of all kinds of ailments and diseases. Jesus heals them by the laying on of hands: it is clear that Jesus has a healing touch. Often devils come out of people and cry at Jesus, “You are the Son of God.” This is a common occurrence: the devils and unclean spirits recognise Jesus for who he is, whilst those who follow him do not. They know he is the Christ, but Jesus orders them not to tell others. At daybreak, Jesus leaves the house to seek some lonely place where he can pray and recover his strength. In fact, he must be exhausted, but the crowds seek him out. They don’t want him to leave, but he replies, “I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do.’” And so it is that he continues his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea and leaves Galilee and its environments for the time being. Jesus is a missionary and the mission must go on. He cannot stay in one place and settle down, he has work to do.
Let us pray today for all missionaries and for those whose work takes them away from home. Let us also pray, that following the example of Jesus, the ministry of reconciliation and healing may be restored and strengthened in the Church. We can also pray for healing for ourselves and others. I have always felt that prayer and medicine go hand in hand, the one fortifying the other.
