Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 4th May
Abbot Paul • May 3, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 4th May 2022
Yesterday I was at Douai Abbey for a meeting, an exhausting thirteen hour trip altogether, including six hours’ driving. Fortunately, there was less traffic than usual, hardly surprising with the price of fuel, and no accidents or road closures. Nevertheless, I was glad to get back to Belmont safe and sound. Toby is on holiday at the moment, as I also have a meeting near Burford on Thursday and then go to Burgos in Spain to meet with the Cistercian nuns of the famous Abbey of Las Huelgas, but I will tell you more about that when I’m there. I will be back, God willing, for the May Procession, which takes place on Wednesday, 11th May. You are more than welcome to join us that evening.
Today the Church in England celebrates the feast of the English Martyrs, although at Belmont we also include the Welsh Martyrs. We ask their intercession for the Church in our land in our day and for the reinvigoration of the faith of all Christians. The Gospel chosen for the feast comes from Matthew, (Mt 10: 17-20).
This is it:
“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of men: they will hand you over to Sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.’”
What Jesus describes to be the fate of his followers was actually taking place when the Gospels were being written, which is why the evangelists emphasise this aspect of Jesus’ teaching. We also read about it in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Letters of St Paul and the other Apostles, not to mention the Apocalypse. Has there been an age, in fact, when Christians have not been persecuted for their faith? It’s important to remember what Jesus says, “Do not worry about what you are going to say: the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.” Persecution, in whatever form it comes, always gives us a privileged opportunity to bear witness to Christ and to our faith in him. We might not have to die for our faith as the martyrs did, but we will have to die to our fears and shame when we stand up to be counted. Holy Martyrs of England and Wales, pray for us. Amen.
I attach a photograph of the Herefordshire martyr St John Kemble’s grave at Welsh Newton and a portrait of his Welsh cousin, the Jesuit St David Lewis.
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