Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 4th August

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 4th August 2021

           I apologise if my messages have been a bit on the long side these past few days. Let’s see if I can manage something shorter today! At the moment we are enjoying the company of a group of monks from Downside, as they discern the will of God for their community in the future. We are grateful to Abbot Nicholas for arranging this visit and pray that it will be fruitful for both communities. We very much rely on your prayers as well as our own. Without vocations and the support of our oblates, parishioners, benefactors and friends, it will be difficult to survive in the future. I have a great love for the monastic life and believe in the inspiration of St Benedict and those who came before and after him in setting up monasteries for the good of the Church and of society in general. I firmly believe that without monasteries, the world will be a much poorer and bleaker place.

           Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, (15: 21-28), recounts the healing of a Canaanite woman’s daughter, that includes her immortal words, “Even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.” No reason is given as to why Jesus was visiting the region of Tyre and Sidon, two coastal Phoenician towns, where the population was mostly pagan. It’s there that he meets this Canaanite woman who begins to shout at him, asking him to heal her daughter, who is tormented by a devil. Jesus takes no notice of her, but his disciples beg him to attend to her needs if only to stop her causing such a commotion. Jesus replies, and here we pick up the story, “‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.” There is no question about it, Jesus is moved by her humility and faith and so grants her request. A question we could ask ourselves is, what would we have done in Jesus’ place? Would we have shown kindness and mercy? Would we have recognised the hidden faith of someone we regard as a pagan or unbeliever? What attitude do we have towards those who do not share our beliefs or our way of believing? Jesus has much to teach us in our treatment of others.