Message of Abbot Paul - Easter Monday

Abbot Paul • April 17, 2022

Message from Fr Paul for Monday. 18th April 2022

It was a great joy to see so many worshippers at our Easter and Holy Week celebrations this year. It wasn’t unexpected, but it was a truly amazing experience after two years of much smaller congregations and social distancing. I pray that all those who came to Belmont, or participated in their homes by live streaming, were renewed by the grace of our Risen Saviour and strengthened in their faith to bear witness to Christ in their daily lives more forcefully and joyfully and with grater confidence. The Monday of Easter Week is known traditionally as the Monday of the Angel and at the offertory at Mass we sing that most wonderful Latin chant Angelus Domini. The Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and said to the women, ‘Who are you looking for? He is risen, just as he said he would.’ Alleluia. It’s one of my absolute favourites and one I enjoy singing alone in my room or in an empty church.

---

Our Gospel today is taken from Matthew, (Mt 28: 8-15). It takes up the resurrection account from where the angel had told the women that Jesus had risen from the dead. “Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples.” Filled with awe and great joy sums up the feelings and emotions of the women, whose first reaction is to run off and let the disciples know. Why were the women first in visiting the tomb? Because now that the Sabbath was over, they were eager to improve on the rushed job that had taken place on Friday evening of anointing the body of Jesus. However, not only were they to see the angel this morning, but the very person they had been looking for. Matthew continues. “And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings’ he said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’” They recognise Jesus when he greets them and fall to their knees, clasping his feet in loving adoration. They were not afraid to show their profound affection for Jesus. The very fact that they can clasp his feet shows us that he was no spirit or vision, but the man Jesus himself, risen from the dead and restored to life. Yet that life would be very different as well as the same. As the women go off on their errand to tell the disciples to return to Galilee, the chief priests are up to no good, secretly paying off the Temple guard to give out false news of Jesus.

“While they were on their way, some of the guard went off into the city to tell the chief priests all that had happened. These held a meeting with the elders and, after some discussion, handed a considerable sum of money to the soldiers with these instructions, ‘This is what you must say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” And should the governor come to hear of this, we undertake to put things right with him ourselves and to see that you do not get into trouble.’ The soldiers took the money and carried out their instructions, and to this day that is the story among the Jews.” It would appear that news of the empty tomb is spreading like wildfire and has reached the ears of the Temple guard. The chief priests decide that something must be done about this and so they decide to pay off the guard to spread the rumour that it was his disciples who stole his body. They are also planning to dupe Pontius Pilate with a similar tale. How dangerous the truth is to those in authority! We see it with our own government, do we not, where lies and sleaze are the order of the day, not to mention Mr Putin and his lack of trust in his own people’s judgement, so needing to shield them from the truth. These are sad truths that are painful to acknowledge and accept. Lord, grant us all the gift of integrity and truth, but most of all to our world leaders and those in authority.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Temporary Profession of Br Saul

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • May 6, 2025

A homily by Abbot Brendan at a special Easter Mass for Pope Francis, attended by Catholics from across the Deanery.

Pope Francis 1936-2025

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • April 24, 2025

New Title

The Passing of Pope Francis

By Abbot Brendan Thomas • April 21, 2025

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)

Easter Visit of the Apostolic Nuncio

By Abbot Paul • April 21, 2025

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.