Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 5th October 2022
Abbot Paul • October 5, 2022
One of the things that fascinated the disciples about Jesus was his personal prayer life or inner life of prayer. It’s difficult to know how exactly to describe it. All four Evangelists tell us that he would seek places and periods of quiet solitude when he would pray, communicating with his heavenly Father in silent contemplation. Luke tells us, (Lk 11: 1-4), that it was after one such moment of prayer, which at times could last all night, that the disciples approached Jesus to ask a question. “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” They could see him praying and were so acutely aware of the benefits he derived from such prayer, that they too wanted to pray as he did, but not only as he did. “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” This is the first we hear of John the Baptist teaching his disciples to pray. I wonder how John and his disciples did pray!
Jesus replies, making no allusion to John’s method of prayer, by teaching them a simple prayer, the prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer. You will notice that the form of it found in Luke differs somewhat and is shorter than that found in Matthew, where it occurs in the Sermon on the Mount. This is what we read in Luke.
“Father, may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test.”
Although shorter than Matthew’s Our Father that became the official version for the Church’s Liturgy and the personal devotion of all Christians, nevertheless it contains all that Matthew’s version contains. It remains in the plural form (we/us), yet God is the Father of all that exists and not just of believing Jews or Christians. We pray for the coming of the kingdom or reign of God, for all our needs, symbolised in the bread of life, and for forgiveness of sin, provided we forgive those who have sinned against us. And we ask not to be put to the test, we request deliverance from temptation that can cripple or destroy the soul. It might take extra effort, but why not learn this version of the Lord’s Prayer by heart and use it to pray with as an alternative to the better known one?
The photographs I attach today are of our monks in Peru restoring the Stations of the Cross from a Lima parish church in their restoration workshop.
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. 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.
