The Word Made Flesh: The Gift That Transforms Us

Abbot Brendan Thomas • December 25, 2024

A Homily for Christmas Day

 

In the Gospel of Christmas Night we heard of the Lord’s birth from the Gospel of St Luke, of angels singing in the skies, and of shepherds racing to find the Saviour, Christ the Lord, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And we raced too, in our hearts to be with Mary pondering her child, to be with the Shepherds adoring the babe of Bethlehem, God in our midst.

 

But on Christmas Day we hear those profound words of St John from the prologue to his Gospel. It is almost as if he doesn’t want to repeat that story of Mary, the Angels and the Shepherds but rather pull back the curtain, for us to see not just this moment in history, not just the pretty scene of the manger, but rather for us to understand what it means for all eternity. How the world changed that night and has never been the same since.

 

He wants us to grasp that God has uttered his Word, the fullest expression of himself that God, he has spoken to us by his Son. God speaks in the silent cry of a newborn baby. St John wants us to be silent before this profound mystery, be still before this wonder and take in its meaning. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

 

He wants us to see not just the child in the manger, and the loving worship of those who come near, but understand why the eternal God took on our flesh and came into our midst.

 

  • Christ came in the flesh to show us the face of God in the most intimate way possible. God could have chosen many ways to reveal Himself to the world, but He chose to enter it as a child—vulnerable, small, and dependent – whom we can look upon and love. He slipped into our world humbly, gently, to approachable and knowable.


  • Christ came in the flesh to show us the heart of the Father. “God so loved the world that he sent his only Son.” He came because he loves us. That simple truth. It is this love that has come to us, not in the abstract, but in a way we can touch and feel, a love we can experience in the flesh.


  • Christ came in the flesh so that we might have the power to become Children of God. He came to call us friends, so that we might live in friendship with him. He came to Bethlehem, the House of Bread, so that we feed on him, to grow with him in love and compassion, gentleness and kindness.

 

It is almost as if the crib has become a mirror, because in the frail vulnerability of that child we see our fragile selves but something more - a humanity made glorious by God sharing our flesh. This Christmas mystery made Pope Leo the Great cry "O Christian, be aware of your dignity, it is God’s own nature that you share." A race made noble because we are called to be friends of God.

 

In the child we see how we are loved but the child also calls us to respond to what we see. In the flesh Jesus teaches us how to love with a human heart. To reach out to the needy, the poor, the oppressed. To rejoice with those who are happy, to grieve with those who are sad. In the Incarnation God shows a way that is literally down-to-earth. If we are to grow in love with this child, then we too must engage with the world in the business of practical loving.

 

We have received grace upon grace, in other words with that power, with that strength to love as he loved. He gave us power to live as children of God.

 

Today we exchange gifts in remembrance of this greatest gift, God made flesh in our midst. Today we exchange gifts because love is to be shared. Most of all to give the gift of our own selves to others. To live graciously, which means being courteous, generous and kind.

 

May this Christmas be for each of us an opportunity to encounter the Child born for us, to receive His love, and to let that love transform our lives and the lives of those around us.

 

Have a wonderful Christmas and may the peace of Christ fill your hearts this holy season and always.


The Belmont community wishes you all a very happy and holy Christmas and a grace-filled New Year.

 

 

By Abbot Brendan Thomas May 17, 2025
Bishop Mark Jabalé OSB Bishop Mark died peacefully on 9th May. Reception of Body and Mass of Remembrance Friday 30th May, 11am, St Joseph’s Co-Cathedral, Swansea Requiem Mass & Burial Thursday 5th June, 12 noon, Belmont Abbey John Peter Jabale was born on 16th October 1933 in Alexandria, Egypt of mainly European heritage. His father was Lebanese/French, and his mother British/Greek/French. He attended the Lycée Français in Alexandria until 1948, when he was sent to England, having expressed a desire to join the Navy. He enrolled at Belmont Abbey School and, upon leaving school, joined the Abbey, taking the religious name Mark. He was ordained to the priesthood on 13 July 1958. He was then sent to the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he obtained a Licentiate in French Literature, writing his thesis on Joseph de Maistre, the French counter-revolutionary. He later completed a Diploma in Education at St Mary’s, Strawberry Hill, where he also played rugby for the University. From 1964, he taught sport and served as a housemaster at the school. In 1969, he was appointed Headmaster of Alderwasley School in Derbyshire, though he held that post for only half a term before being recalled to Belmont to serve as Headmaster there, a role he held—apart from a sabbatical—until 1983. From 1964 he was teaching sport and then was a housemaster in the School. In 1969 he was appointed Headmaster of Alderwasley School, Derbyshire, but filled that post for only half a term. He was called back to Belmont to be Headmaster where he served, apart from a sabbatical, until 1983. Fr Mark was a rowing coach of considerable repute. During his sabbatical in 1979, he assisted Dan Topolski in coaching the Oxford crew for the Boat Race. His greatest coaching triumph came when he led a lightweight coxless four to a gold medal at the World Rowing Championships in Bled, Yugoslavia — the only gold medal won by Great Britain that year. The following year, he was invited to coach for the Olympics, but he declined in order to remain committed to Belmont. He was a steward of Henley Royal Regatta and was responsible for setting up and programming its first computerised systems. He was ahead of may in seeing the potential of new technology. In 1983, he was sent to Peru to purchase land and build a new monastery, which included raising funds in the UK. The new monastery was blessed, and the first Mass was celebrated there by the Archbishop of Piura, Oscar Cantuarias Pastor, in June 1986 together with Abbot Jerome, Fr Paul, Fr Luke, Fr David as well as Fr Mark. Dom Mark returned to Belmont as Prior and was elected the 10th Abbot of Belmont in 1993. He later wrote: “My first and most painful task proved to be the overseeing of the closure of the school.” Together with the bursar, John Hubert, he negotiated with the local NHS for the 4 houses to be leased to them. In 2000, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Menevia by Pope John Paul II and was ordained bishop in St Joseph’s Cathedral, Swansea, on 7 December 2000. He succeeded Bishop Daniel Mullins as the 10th Bishop of Menevia on 12 June 2001. During his episcopate, he held several important offices: Chairman of the Department for Christian Life and Worship, Trustee and Visitator of the three foreign seminaries — the Venerable English College (Rome), the Beda College (Rome), and the Royal English College (Valladolid). He was also Bishop-in-Charge of on-going formation for diocesan priests. Upon reaching the age of 75, Bishop Jabale submitted his resignation to the Holy Father on 16 October 2008 and was succeeded by Bishop Tom Burns. He then moved to Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, and was inducted as Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in March 2009, a post he held until 2014. At the age of 81, he retired to Hendon in London, where he celebrated daily Mass at a local convent, assisted in various parishes, and continued to help with confirmations in the diocese. In October 2019, he moved to Archbishop’s House, Westminster, for nine months. Finally, he returned to Belmont in 2020 as a much-cherished member of the community. He described himself as “very happy.” He remained there until his death in Hereford County Hospital on 9 May 2025, aged 91. He had been a monk of Belmont for 73 years, a priest for 67 years and a bishop for 24 years. 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
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