Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 1 st October 2023 Yesterday was a busy but happy day in the service of the Lord. In the morning, after Conventual Mass and Toby’s second walk of the day, I drove up to Leominster for Mass and Confessions, then came back to Belmont for a joyful wedding, elegant, homely and relaxed. Then came the Mass of Thanksgiving for the Silver Jubilee of Fr Richard’s Priestly Ordination, an uplifting celebration followed by a magnificent, traditional tea party. It was lovely to see so many well-known faces from all the parishes where Fr Richard has served. As a monk can never have too much of a good thing, this was followed by Solemn Vespers. Today, I will be at Leominster for Mass in the morning and again in the early afternoon, as well as at Bromyard for Mass later in the morning. Then, at 5.30pm the monastic community will sing Vespers at Hereford Cathedral for the vigil of the feast of St Thomas Cantilupe at the invitation of the Dean and Chapter. We are all looking forward enormously to returning to the Cathedral for the first time since lockdown. All are welcome to join us for Vespers. Fr Michael will preside and preach. Today’s Gospel from Matthew (Mt 21: 28-32) has Jesus asking the chief priests and elders of the people a question. “What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, ‘My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not go,’ but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, ‘Certainly, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?” His question is based on the short parable of the two sons and the answer is obvious, but by getting the answer right, his adversaries fall into a trap. When they answer, “The first,” Jesus is able to compare them unfavourably with tax collectors and prostitutes, i.e. with public sinners. He contrasts the way they responded to John the Baptist’s preaching, which was to ignore him, and the response of sinners, which was to repent of their sins and change their way of life. Jesus says, “Tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.” Now it’s fine to talk about the high priests of Jesus’ time, about the elders of the people, the scribes and Pharisees, but what about us? What about me? Which son am I like? How closely do I listen to Jesus and take his teaching to heart? Does his teaching call me to repentance? Does his example move me to conversion and new life? These are important questions we should be asking ourselves today. Lord, I have often been disobedient to your will and have let myself down; help me out of my indolence and give me grace always to do what is right and just. Amen.
Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 14 th October 2023 It was good to drive to Bromyard yesterday morning for Mass and to take Toby with me. This wasn’t new to him, of course, as in the past he had been there many times and always accompanied me when I went church crawling nearby. As you know, I love visiting ancient churches and love praying in them and singing the chant. I always get the feeling that the stones remember and rejoice. When I eventually move to Leominster and Bromyard next year on my retirement as abbot, one of the many things I’m looking forward to doing is visiting every ancient church in the north of Herefordshire, not that I can say that I’ve visited every medieval church in the south of the county, but I’m getting pretty close. Toby always accompanies me, as he loves sniffing around old churches and churchyards as much as I do. Today’s brief Gospel reading from Luke, (Lk 11: 27-28), is a most suitable passage to be heard on Saturday, which is usually dedicated to Our Lady. Here it is: “As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” It’s somewhat similar to the short account we read recently of a visit made by Mary and his brothers to Jesus, when he was preaching to the crowds and healing them. “Who are my mother and my sisters and brothers?” he asked, replying that those who hear the word and kept it are his mother and sisters and brothers. This time it is a woman in the crowd, who shouts out, “Blessed are the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked.” It’s not that Jesus disagrees with what she says, but he takes her thought a stage further. “Even more blest those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Who is more blessed than Mary his mother, who heard the word of God and kept it? We ask Mary’s prayers today that we, like her, may hear the word of God and keep it.
Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 12th October 2023 I spent much of yesterday travelling back to Belmont from Greece and I’m writing this short message in one of the many Lufthansa lounges at Munich Airport. As my plane doesn’t get into Birmingham until 11pm, I doubt I’ll arrive at Belmont much before 1am. I really enjoyed having a break, but as the Welsh say after a good day’s weather, “We’ll pay for it later.” Munich must be one of the best airports to negotiate as you make a connection from one flight to another, especially if you happen to have a British passport. On leaving Thessaloniki, I was asked by the young border policeman how I’d been allowed into Greece without a visa, as he didn’t recognise a new blue British Passport. He took it from me and went off to consult a senior colleague. It’s the first time in 60 years of visiting Greece on a regular basis that I felt like an alien in a foreign land! Today we keep the feast of St Wilfred in England, but in Spain and many countries in Latin America it’s La Virgen del Pilar, Our Lady of the Pilar, patron of Spain and venerated in Zaragoza, another reason why October is the month of Mary. Our Gospel from Luke today, (Lk 11: 5-13), is the continuation of yesterday’s, where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. It’s an extended commentary by Jesus on perseverance in prayer. “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him.” Ultimately, the best gift of prayer is the Holy Spirit, whom our Heavenly Father gives to those who ask him.
Message from Fr Paul for Wednesday, 11th October 2023 This afternoon and evening I will be travelling back to Belmont from Thessaloniki, where I have been staying with old university friends. It’s been good to rest and take things easy for nine days, although one friend has rather advanced Alzheimer’s, so it’s not always been easy. Together we have been following on television the tragic events taking place in Israel and Palestine and praying for peace and the safety of innocent people. Words fail before such horrific situations. Today the Church keeps the feast of a much-loved Pope, St John XXIII. We ask his intercession for peace in our world and for the unity of the Church, especially for the working the Synod. Our Gospel passage comes from Luke, (Lk 11: 1-4), in which Jesus teaches his disciples to pray at their request. “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples, said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” The disciples want to be like Jesus, their Lord, in every way, including his prayer life. It’s interesting to note that John the Baptist also taught his disciples to pray. The version of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke is shorter than in Matthew. “Father, may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.” Had you thought of using this version from time to time? The essentials are there, especially the emphasis on forgiveness.
Message from Fr Paul for Tuesday, 10th October 2023 All good things come to an end, as they say, and my break from work and responsibility is drawing to an end. Tomorrow evening I will return to Belmont. The rest has been wonderful, the peace, the quiet, the relaxation, the heathy diet and the prolonged opportunity for prayer. Yesterday we went for a ride into the countryside to visit the heroic village of Chortiatis, heroic for it was raised to the ground and the majority of the population killed by the Nazis towards to end of WWII. We then visited the British War Cemetery nearby, so beautifully kept, tragic yet prayerful. It was interesting to note the number of Bulgarian soldiers buried with our own men, among whom were many Maltese. Of the 20,000 or more British troops who died in and around Thessaloniki towards the end of WWI, at least half died of malaria and some of the Spanish flu. We prayed for them all and prayed for those soldiers and civilians dying in Ukraine, Palestine and Israel today. We prayed earnestly for peace in that peaceful place, the result of war and death. Our Gospel passage for today comes from Luke, (Lk 10: 38-42), and is one of the best known scenes from his Gospel, the visit of Jesus to Martha and Mary. Although we imagine Jesus travelling around with a large retinue of disciples, helpers and hangers on, only Jesus and the two sisters appear in the account. “Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.” This is an amazing statement, considering the time and place in which Jesus lived. Next we are told, “She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking.” In many ways, this is even more astounding, Jesus alone with a woman, who sits at his feet, the two alone, while Martha is absent. We then discover why. “Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’” I wonder what Martha had prepared for Jesus’ meal, that was so complicated and needed so much work with serving. He was after all a very special guest and yet there is no mention of any other dinner guests. Poor Martha, what the Lord said in reply must have upset her, but it was a lesson she had to learn. All that fuss is getting in the way of what matters more, the fact that Jesus is visiting their home, and he has come to give rather than to take, for he is the Bread of Life. Jesus says to Martha, “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.” Have we chosen the one thing necessary? Have we chosen the better part? 3
Message from Fr Paul for Monday, 9th October 2023 Yesterday was a very busy day, including the whole morning in a Greek Orthodox Church for the Liturgy and all that goes with it, added to which, the local elections and news from Palestine and Israel kept us glued to the television. War in the Holy Land fils us with horror and sorrow and impels us to pray for peace, a peace that can only be based on justice and respect for the integrity of the rights of all peoples who share that small area of land. In many ways the world seems to be spinning out of control. Also yesterday I was talking with a farmer friend in Peru, who was lamenting the effects of climate change on his land: his mango harvest is down this year by 90% and is worth only £45. There is so much to pray for, but prayer alone is not enough. Today the Church remembers St John Henry Newman, the 19th century English theologian. We pray that he will soon be declared a Doctor of the Church. Our Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 13: 47-52), the Parable of the Dragnet, in which Jesus compares fishermen sorting out their catch and throwing the useless fish back into the sea with the angels at the end of time separating the good from the evil, only that the fires of hell replace the comfort of the sea. Jesus ends by saying, “Every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both old and new.” We can apply this to St John Henry Newman. May he pray for us today.
Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 8th October 2023 As today is Sunday and you will be going to Mass or, if housebound, watching it on television or some device, I’ll be short, bearing in mind that I’m also having a rest from the usual round of duties. Yesterday was a rest day, a day for catching up, a day for domestic chores such as washing and ironing. It’s also the day I had lunch with the wider family and enjoyed the rich table of traditional Greek food, bearing in mind that Thessaloniki was for centuries a multiethnic city with a large population of Sephardic Jews, Turks, Bulgarians, as well as Greeks and such minorities as Vlachs, Albanians, Armenians, Italians and French. Then in 1923, following the disastrous invasion of Asia Minor by the Greek government, there came the expulsion of the Turks from Greece and of the far greater Greek population from Asia Minor, Pontus and other parts of Turkey, bringing with them their ancient gastronomic traditions. Our Sunday Gospel comes from Matthew, (Mt 21: 33-43), where Jesus, by means of the parable on the owner of a vineyard and the treatment meted out on his son by his tenants, warns the chief priests and elders of the people that, “the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” For they are rejecting Jesus, he who is “the stone rejected by the builders, who has become the cornerstone.” Could Jesus be warning us too?
Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 7th October 2023 Among other things, yesterday included a visit to a number of ancient churches in Thessaloniki, a city that has buildings from each period of its long history. Among these are a number of famous Byzantine churches, some small, others monumental. The martyr St Demetrius is the patron saint of the city. His church is an important pilgrimage centre for devout Christians from all over Greece and the Balkans. The present church dates from the seventh century, replacing an earlier fourth century building, which itself replaced Roman baths. St Demetrius was born in Thessaloniki in the year 270 and martyred for his faith in the year 306. I joined a group of pilgrims from Serbia to visit the magnificent basilica and was privileged to have five minutes alone with the martyr at his tomb. I will post some photographs. Then I visited the church of Our Lady not Made by Hand, in which is revered an icon of the Mother of God believed to have been written by St Luke. It is yet another Roman basilica, but below current street level. I also visited the famous city landmark, the Arch of Galerius, commissioned by the fourth century Roman Emperor. There are substantial Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments in Thessaloniki, as well as Ancient Greek and Macedonian. Today in the West we keep the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. We ask Our Lady to pray for and guide those taking part in the Synod, that we may all walk in the footsteps of Jesus and that we may all, as Jesus said to his disciples in today’s Gospel, “rejoice for our names are written in heaven.”