Message of Abbot Paul - Friday 10th June
Abbot Paul • June 10, 2022
Message from Fr Paul for Friday, 10th June 2022
Today we continue our reading of Matthew, (Mt 5: 27-32), hearing and meditating on what Jesus taught his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount. I wonder if you have ever seen that extraordinary film of Pier Paolo Pasolini, The Gospel according to Matthew (Il Vangelo secondo Matteo), made in 1964. I was in my last year at Grammar School, in the middle of my A levels (Latin plus three modern languages), when I saw it one night in an open-air cinema in Italy. It made a deep and lasting impression on me that has remained with me ever since, bringing out forcefully, as it does, the power of the words of Jesus and the radicality of his teaching. It’s not a film for the faint-hearted.
Yesterday, we focussed on the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” Today it is, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Jesus aims to instruct his disciples on the true meaning of the commandment, what lies at the heart of the Law. He says,
“You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery. But I say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body go to hell.”
Here, too, Jesus goes for a far broader vision of what adultery really is in the lives of all men and women. It’s not simply breaking ones marriage vows in the physical act of adultery with another’s husband or wife, it is the desires and thoughts of our hearts. For Jesus, all lust, or sexual desire which goes beyond the person to whom we are committed and love, is adultery. How often do we commit this sin? Jesus is not referring to us finding another person attractive, enchanting, handsome or beautiful; no, it’s desiring and wanting that person in a way that goes beyond the bounds of respect and admiration. Adultery of the heart, that is what we must beware of. As a celibate priest and monk, I know perfectly well what Jesus means and it needs self-control, discipline and prayer not to fall into that sin. I have yet to tear out my right eye, but there have been times when it might have been wiser to do so.
Jesus then touches on the subject of divorce. You can only wish he had said more. “It has also been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal. But I say this to you: everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Jesus takes a radical view of the sanctity of marriage. It’s important for a Christian not to dismiss the teaching of Jesus and, therefore, of the Church as being ‘out of date.’ One thing is divorce and another annulment, which is what the Catholic Church does accept, showing that there are marriages that were never true or valid marriages in the first place. This is not the place to discuss the details, but there is a lot of helpful literature you can read on the subject. It’s a good day to pray for marriages that are in difficulties.
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.
