Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 8th December

Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 8th December 2021

           Yesterday was quite a stressful day which quite exhausted me emotionally and spiritually, what with Toby’s operation and the funeral of an 18 year old lad at Our Lady’s church, followed by a service at the crematorium. The operation was successful, but by evening he was so distressed that the vets thought he would be happier in his own surroundings, so we had the difficult task of bringing him back to Belmont. As I write these few words, I’m considering staying the night near him in my sleeping bag. The things we do for our dogs, cats and other animal companions. Fortunately, he is insured, so the expense is not a worry. I pray that his recovery will be quick and his convalescence a happy one.

           Today we keep the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God, the Theotokos. It’s a lovely feast and one that was kept by the Anglo-Saxon Church long before the Norman Conquest. Though abolished by Archbishop Lanfranc, it was restored by St Anselm with all the other feasts in the English Calendar. Our Gospel reading is that of the Annunciation as related by Luke, (Lk 1: 26-38). Non-Catholics might imagine that the Immaculate Conception was, in fact, the conception of Jesus in Mary’s womb by the working of the Holy Spirit - some fellow students in Rome in the 70s thought that too, and they were studying for the priesthood! It refers, of course, to the conception of Mary herself in the womb of St Anne, her mother, and to the fact that, in view of her election by God to be Mother of the Incarnate Word, she was conceived without sin and, therefore, immaculate.

           It’s always struck me that the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel on entering Mary’s house speaks to us of the Immaculate Conception. He says to her, “Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” More traditionally we read, “Hail, Thou who art full of grace. The Lord is with thee.” The angel recognises Mary to be already full of grace and that God is with her. She is already a temple of the Holy Spirit. Not only is she without sin, but was so even from her mother’s womb. She is the Immaculate Conception, as she herself told St Bernadette in Lourdes. When she said, “I am the Immaculate Conception” it was like Jesus telling his disciples, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” or “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Let us pray today for some of Our Lady’s humility and spirit of obedience to the will of God. May we always say with her, “I am the servant of the Lord. May his will be done in my life. Amen.”