Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 12th March
Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 12th March 2022
You will be pleased to hear that Toby’s health continues to improve by leaps and bounds, not that he’s allowed to run and jump quite yet, but we can see things going in that direction. Early yesterday morning he decided to walk on the playing field, which was a great joy, particularly as we were accompanied by the singing of blackbirds and robins. It was as though they were welcoming back an old friend who had just returned from a long journey.
Today I will be visiting Downside Abbey for the Farewell Mass of Thanksgiving. They still celebrate the feast of St Gregory the Great on 12th March. Sadly, but quite understandably, tomorrow the monastic community, led by Abbot Nicholas, will be leaving their Somerset home to begin their pilgrimage of discernment on God’s will for the future of the Gregorian family. We keep them in our prayers.
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Our Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 5: 43-48), continues our reading of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus compares the traditional interpretation of the Law with his own much fuller vision of how it is to be lived out by his disciples. Let’s listen attentively to the words of Jesus:
“You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
“You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” It must be said that this is not an Old Testament command. This is the sixth time in the Sermon that Jesus has used the formula—“You have heard that it was said… but I say to you…”—but this time, he’s not citing an Old Testament, Mosaic Law. He is referring rather to what had become the default doctrine of the day: You love your neighbour, and you hate your enemy. It was how the scribes and Pharisees interpreted the Law. Jesus disagrees and tells us that we must also love our enemies, if we wish to be true daughters and sons of our Father in heaven. That is really the key to understanding this passage, for as children of God we must reflect the goodness of God and his desire to save sinners, no matter who they are. The war against Ukraine doesn’t cause us to hate the Russians, most of whom are innocent of this crime against humanity. Nor does it lead us to hate Mr Putin and his followers. Rather we suffer great sorrow for their sinful actions and pray for their conversion. As Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” so we pray for them, for Jesus has asked us to love our enemies, even those who persecute us. It’s not easy, is it? But with God’s help and walking with Jesus, everything is possible.
