Abbot Cuthbert Johnson

Life

2012-02-16T19:38:00.001Z

The words Jesus in today’s gospel are addressed to everyone, he called the multitude and the disciples. The way to follow Jesus is clear, to deny self and take up the cross. There are those who might say that Christianity is all about abnegation and suffering. Even Christians sometimes talk as though taking up of the cross means only accepting misfortunes. The "bearing of one's cross" means much more and leads to that freedom expressed is Jesus’ words “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.

We know that Jesus came to give us life and give us it abundantly. The reality of suffering is self evident, the Lord tells us that we must not seek to avoid it. On the contrary by telling us to take up the cross he is telling us to face suffering head on and in this way we shall overcome it. To embrace the cross means to be a sign of contradiction and not to be ashamed of the Lord. Everyday the teaching of the gospel is being opposed by the false values of the world. We knows that the cross of Christ Jesus leads to victory and freedom from sin and death and the cross is freedom that is why we must take it up ev eryday so that we stand against the forces of evil that would imprison us. Christ has set us free.

Peter

2012-02-15T22:12:00.001Z

People were talking and as many as were talking were there differences of opinion: "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah or one of the prophets." Jesus was held in esteem. There are many today who say that Jesus was a great man, a prophet, but we know that that is not enough. The apostles were supposed to know Jesus better than most. And so Jesus asks them: "But who do you say that I am?" The apostles are slow to reply, uncertain who should speak first. Peter does not share this uncertainty, he does not consult with his fellow apostles, he does not ask them if they are all agreed., but replies, "You are the Christ" These words of Peter became a turning point in the story of our salvation. Jesus was to found his Church upon the apostle Peter. The question that our Lord puts to his disciples, "who do you say that I am" is addressed to each one of us. Each of us must reply in an act of faith. We must say with Peter, you are the Christ the Son of God.

Martha

2012-02-09T22:35:00.000Z

"A woman named Martha received Jesus into her house". The name Martha means lady or mistress, and since it is evident from the gospel that Martha was the mistress or lady of the house it was her role to "welcome Jesus into her home" This short phrase both defines and describes Martha, mistress of the house responsible for its running and good order. Her sister Mary is equally defined and described for we are told that she "Sat at the Lord's feet" this is a technical expression and not just a pious expression because Jewish disciples or students sat at the feet of their chosen rabbis or teachers. Saint Paul in the Book of the Acts tells us that he was "brought up. . . at the feet of Gamaliel". Mary "listened to his teaching" and assumed the role of a disciple and it was unusual at that time for a woman to assume the role of 'sitting at the feet' or studying with the rabbi. Jesus approves of her interest in spiritual matters and says that she has chosen “the better part". Although Martha did not “sit at the feet of Jesus” she nevertheless was a faithful disciple and accepted Jesus' as her Lord and Master but the gospel tells us she was "distracted" from listening to him "by much serving" by doing the many tasks that hospitality involved. Martha appealed to Jesus to tell her sister to help her with the work. Why did he not tell her sister to get up and help? Martha knew that Mary would obey Jesus and do as he asked. Perhaps also because she wanted to underline the fact that it was not usual for a woman to sit and listen the a Rabbi’s teaching and this was made more evident by the fact that the context was in the home where those matters that were considered to be the responsibility of the women needed attention.

Healing

2012-02-05T22:56:00.001Z

So many people were coming to Jesus that he called the apostles and said "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while. For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat”. Even a moment of rest was denied them for as soon as they arrived they were met by a crowd of people for whom Jesus, as their Shepherd, was filled with compassion.

The people were coming to Jesus to hear the Word of God and to be healed of their infirmities. Everywhere He went the people recognised him immediately and at once began bringing those in need of healing. The sick, those whom society regards as weak and feeble, were strong in their faith. They asked that they may be allowed to touch the fringe of his garment and everyone who touched him was healed and made whole.

House of Peter

2012-02-04T22:38:00.001Z

The gospel tell us that Jesus left the Synagogue and went to the home of Simon and Andrew, in this simple statement we have an enduring principle of Christian living namely that worship and fellowship are inseparable. Saint Luke in the Acts of the Apostles describes the Church, when he wrote that the followers of Jesus were faithful to the “teaching of the Apostles”, “the breaking of the bread”, “prayer” and “fellowship”. In our celebration of the Liturgy, the mysteries of our salvation are made present for us so that we might be given life, a life which must be shared. This is the meaning of the final dismissal at the end of Mass, “Go in the peace of Christ” it is not just a means of bringing the liturgy to a close but is a true sending out in the sense of a mission. Like Jesus who left the worshiping assembly of the Synagogue and then “healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons” so we too must continue to bring the peace and healing message of Christ to the world.

When Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew he found the mother-in-law of Peter sick with a fever. Do not overlook the words of the gospel “they told him of her”. Jesus did not take the initiative but responded to their prayer for after hearing about her “he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them”. We must intercede with the Lord for others, bring Him to them, that is what we shall do in a short while when we present our petitions, saying Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

There is a significant expression in the account of Jesus’ act of healing Simon’s mother-in-law. The gospel tells us Jesus “took her by the hand and lifted her up” we might say that this detail puts before us the human dimension which is a part of healing. Pope Benedict XVI drew attention to this in his Encyclical God is love: “Those who care for the needy must be properly trained in what to do and how to do it, and yet, while professional competence is a fundamental requirement, it is not of itself sufficient. We are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need something more than technically proper care. They need humanity. They need heartfelt concern in order to experience the richness of their humanity”.

This morning’s gospel ends with the words: “Simon and those who were with him found Jesus and said to him, "Every one is searching for you.". Already the people were waiting, they were receptive, the disciples wanted Jesus to come and speak to these people. Jesus, however, had to remind the Apostles that he had come to do the will of the Father “And so he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came." From these words we can learn that we must let the Lord have his way and not seek, in however a subtle way, to tell him what he should do, for he came to do the will of the Father and that is the way we must follow even if at times it seems difficult to understand.

The Baptist

2012-02-02T17:30:00.000Z

When Herod heard about Jesus and his mighty works, to use his own words “the powers at work in him” his first reaction was to declare that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. This is a strange affirmation. A normal response to the information that he had received would have ben to investigate the claims that were being made. Herod’s reaction was that of a mind unbalanced by guilt. Nevertheless the Evangelist is very cautious in his language in speaking about this vile crime of Herod. His description of events is devoid of heated emotion or recrimination. The weakness of Herod is described in the words “And the king was very sorry” at the girl’s request. And almost in a phrase that seems to present extenuating circumstances the evangelist says “but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison”. Even the girl herself is included in this extenuating language for it is said that “ the girl, “had been prompted by her mother” Although the evangelist knew that Jesus had spoken of John as the “The greatest among those born of women” the whole account of the Baptist’s death is marked by moderation and restraint. There is a lesson here for our own times, instead of being ready to condemn the evils of the times in which we live, it is very easy to be a prophet of gloom, we should, like the Lord himself, weep for sinners and suffer for their salvation. As our Holy Father Saint Benedict says “By this we do not mean that evils should be allowed to grow” but that, prudence and charity should have a place as we confront evil”.

Miracles

2012-01-31T20:50:00.000Z

It is unusual for Saint Mark to give a fuller account of these two miracles than those given by Saints Matthew and Luke. We know from Tradition that the Gospel of Mark is considered to represent Saint Peter’s teaching and the two events recounted in this passage of the gospel which we have just heard certainly have the vibrancy of an eye witness.

The Ruler asked Jesus to lay his hand on his daughter and she would live. His daughter had just died, but his hope was alive and his faith gave him courage. The woman in the crowd, who Jesus addressed as “daughter” knew that if she laid her hand even on the fringe of his garment she would be made well. She had suffered for twelve years, perhaps her hope of being cured had begun to fade. Her faith, however, revived her trust and she came to the Lord and immediately she was healed. Both the Ruler and the woman in the crowd showed their great faith in Jesus and both were rewarded.

Miracles

2012-01-31T00:07:00.000Z

Faith

2012-01-26T08:49:00.001Z

The phrase “ For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." is often a puzzle to those who hear it. This is perhaps because the words are interpreted in the materialistic terms of having and not having. The Lord in this passage of the gospel is speaking about faith. The parables show us of the dangers that can be encountered along the way. The seed that falls on stony ground or is choked by thorns. Those who allow themselves to be swayed by every whim or the latest fashion, as Saint Paul warned, are in danger of losing the little faith that they have. One of the greatest weaknesses in the church today is the lack of theological underpinning in so many areas of Christian life. The world is one that glorifies momentary celebrity but Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow. Christians need to be attentive and sift what they hear or as Saint John told us “Test the spirits”. Openness does not mean exposing one’s mind and heart to all kinds of influences. Christ Jesus is our measure, He is our light, He is truth. Whoever has Christ will be given all in abundance, pressed down and flowing over.

Rise up

2012-01-13T08:41:00.000Z

The words of the Lord in the gospel this morning “rise up and walk” are addressed to us every day, they are a call to conversion of heart for the forgiveness of sins.

When Jesus asked “ "Why do you question in your hearts?” he was not only referring to their condemnation of him as one who had blasphemed but he was speaking also of their failure to understand forgiveness. We think that we understand forgiveness, we don’t, for to claim to understand it would be to understand God, our God is a God who forgives. We think that we understand sin, but we don’t. Sin is a mystery. What sin is must be revealed. Many people see sin as residing primarily in acts, willingly committed. Sin resides much deeper, acts are only the outlets for the poison of sin, the evil in our hearts. As the Lord said “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, theft, false witness, slander”.

The Lord is always ready to bring us healing of mind, body, and soul. He came to set us free from the power of sin and from bondage to harmful desires, sinful obsessions and addictions.

We cooperate with the grace of God by letting the word of God dwell richly in our hearts, like a two edged sword the word of God enters into our inmost being. The word of the Lord is our light and our nourishment, our guide and our defence our help in time of distress. No wonder our Holy Father Saint Benedict desire that we ponder the word of God in all seriousness, for it brings healing to our souls and enables us to rise up and walk in the way of the Lord.

Prayer

2012-01-11T23:10:00.000Z

Both in this morning’s gospel and tomorrow’s, we are given a lesson concerning prayer, from those who were considered to be on the margin of society. Today the gospel presents us with a leper, the very image of the outcast of society in the ancient world. In the words of the leper we see the approach of the humble and trusting heart, “Lord, if you will”. These words remind us of the words our Saviour gave us when he taught us to pray “Thy will be done”. The action of the Lord is responding immediately to the prayer for healing assures us of the Lord’s promise that whoever comes to Him, he will not cast out, “Come, you who are heavily laden and I will give you rest.”.

Cana

2012-01-07T09:17:00.000Z

As we listen to the account of the marriage Feast of Cana we recall that the Church is the Bride of Christ for whom the Lord has provided a banquet in the mystery of the Eucharist.

We reflect upon the role of the Mother of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She too was called to the following of Christ, she too had to play her part in the work of salvation. She continues in heaven the vocation which she exercised on earth, she intercedes for us now as she did for those at Cana in Galilee. The words of the Blessed Virgin Mary to servants “do whatever he commands you” echo down the ages to our own times and will continue to the end of time. Blessed are those who hear the word of God and do it. She whom all generations call Blessed, was the perfect hearer and doer of the word of God, and has as it were won the right to commands us.

Saint John

2011-12-27T00:05:00.003Z

The other disciple, who reached the tomb first and saw the linen cloths lying there also went in, and he saw and believed; John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, wrote his gospel as an eye-witness of the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us, and who died and rose for our salvation. John was the first apostle to reach the tomb of Jesus on Easter Sunday morning. When John saw the empty tomb he must have recalled Jesus' prophecy that he would rise again after three days. Through the gift of faith John realized that no tomb on earth could contain the Lord and giver of life.
John in his first Letter testifies: What we have seen, heard, and touched we proclaim as the word of life which existed "from the beginning". John bears witness to what has existed from all eternity.
On Christmas Day we reflected upon the Gospel of John as the contemplation gospel from the pen of John the Theologian. It is fitting therefore that his feast day should bring him close to Bethlehem, where the mystery of our salvation in Christ the word made flesh began.

2011-12-24T19:45:00.001Z

Magnificat

2011-12-22T21:54:00.000Z

The Blessed Virgin Mary replied to the greeting of Elizabeth with the words , "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. Mary, a true Israelite gathered up the soul of her people, expressed in the canticles and psalms of the Old Testament, the song of Hannah, the song of Miriam after the crossing of the Red Sea. Mary makes their words her own and sings her praise of God. It is her soul that magnifies the Lord and her spirit that rejoices in God. Saint Augustine tells us that to sing is the mark of one who loves, and so Mary whose heart was filled with love, when her condition as mother of the promised Messiah was made known expressed her thanksgiving in joyful song. Mary sings of the freedom which Christ her son would bring, freedom from hunger and the tyranny of the mighty.
And the prophecy uttered by the then unknown Jewish girl from Nazareth that throughout all ages and by every generation she would be called "blessed", has been fulfilled and will continue to be fulfilled until the end of time.

December 21

2011-12-20T22:24:00.001Z

The annunciation to Zechariah with its citations from Scripture and the argumentative stance on the part of the recipient of the message is followed today by the simplicity of the annunciation to the Virgin Mary. The annunciation to Zechariah took place in the solemn setting of the Temple at the hour of the offering of incense while the people were praying in the courtyard. The annunciation of the birth of the Saviour, the High Priest of the new Covenant who would be conceived in the virginal temple of Mary, took place in a humble house of Nazareth while the people of the town went about their daily tasks. Today we hear proclaimed the gospel which brings to fulfilment the prophecy of Isaiah: “The Lord will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” The Lord will give you a sign. Scripture frequently reminds us that the Lord uses signs and wonders in the heavens above and in the earth below, to communicate his purposes, to make known his presence and to show his favour to his people by keeping his promises. In the annunciation to Mary in the fulness of time we receive the greatest sign God has given us namely his Son Jesus Christ who took on flesh for our sake and for our salvation. The dawn of the new age of salvation begins with the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary's prompt acceptance of the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible.
Just as the Blessed Virgin Mary responded in faith, trusting in the word of the Lord, so we too respond in faith and trust in the word of the Lord, knowing that with God nothing is impossible, and that if we accept and willlingly share in the saving work of Christ through patience we shall be able to run with unspeakable joy in the way of God’s commandments.

Greatest

2011-12-14T23:21:00.001Z

Jesus’ declaration was “I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he" often puzzles those who hear it, as it sounds at though after the highest praise has been given to John it is diminished by the words "the least in the Kingdom is greater than he".

This saying of Jesus has to be understood in the context of the plan of salvation and not of the person of John.

The saving work of Jesus would surpass the work of all the patriarchs and prophets of whom John was the last in order of time. Although John declared that Christ would suffer and die as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, he himself, like the other prophets did not live to see his words fulfilled. We who have been incorporated into the death and resurrection of Christ have been given a greater privilege than all those of the Old Testament, not through any merit of ours but through God’s saving mercy. We have seen what the patriarchs and prophets desired to see, we have seen the salvation of our God.

Go and tell

2011-12-13T19:00:00.001Z

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained to the disciples all that was written about himself in the Scriptures. The message which Jesus sends to John is likewise an explanation of the Scriptures. The signs of the presence of the Messiah given by the prophet Isaiah that “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk ... and the poor have good news preached to them” were fulfilled in Jesus’ miracles and preaching. John did not doubt that Jesus was the promised one, but he sent his disciples to Jesus so that they could come to faith in Jesus as the promised One. It was John’s role and mission to lead others to the Lord.

During these days of Advent the Church puts before us, as Jesus put before the disciples of John, the words of the prophet Isaiah, in order that we might deepen our faith and understand that just as God’s people of the Old Testament watched and waited for the coming of the Lord so we too the people of the new Covenant are watching and waiting for the Lord to come again in glory and the end of time. It is the common apostolate of all God’s people to show that we are waiting in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Joy is an indispensable part of our witness to God’s saving mercy made manifest in Christ Jesus.

Saint Benedict says that our “life ought at all times to be lenten in its character” marked with “the joy of spiritual longing” and it is this joyful longing that gives to our life its Advent character for we are waiting in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Do as you are told

2011-12-12T22:11:00.001Z

Yesterday we heard yesterday of the confrontation between Jesus and the Chief Priests and Elders concerning authority. It is the Lord himself who puts before us today a confrontation about authority in the story of the father and his two sons. There is nothing new about asking someone to do something and being told that it would be done and then finding out that it hasn’t been done. In the example which Jesus gives of the two sons the apparently good son said he would go and work for his father in the vineyard, but he did not. Good intentions are not enough, and promises are worthless if they are not fulfilled. The Son, however, who told his Father that he would not go and work and yet afterwards did go, did not simply change his mind in an arbitrary fashion. The gospel tells us that he repented. This is the important point, he repented and recognised that he was wrong to have refused his father’s request in the way in which he did.

Jesus tells us that all who repent including the tax collectors and the harlots will enter into the kingdom of God.

No matter what a person has done or in whatever way has lived when such a one turns to the Lord and repents and does good, the past is blotted out and the way of salvation opened up.

Our change our heart and desire for conversion of life will show its genuineness by what we do and if we act coherently with what we say. The Lord daily expects us to make our life correspond with his holy admonitions, it remains for us to fulfil them. Therefore our hearts and bodies must be made ready to fight under the holy obedience of his commands; and let us ask God that he be pleased, where our nature is powerless, to give us the help of his grace so that we may hasten to do now what may profit us for eternity.

John the Baptist

2011-12-10T17:21:00.000Z

The priests and Levites asked John, "Who are you?". John replied by quoting the words of the prophet Isaiah "I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord” In the Synagogue at Nazareth Jesus also chose the words of Isaiah to make known his mission. Jesus opened the book and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor”. He then said, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.". Many times in the gospels the words of the prophet Isaiah are quoted to show how the prophecies of old were fulfilled in Jesus. After the Resurrection, on the road to Emmaus Jesus used the Scriptures, Moses and the prophets, to teach his disciples all things about himself. When we read the Sacred Scriptures in the Liturgy we must always listen to them in the setting of the Season or Feast which is being celebrated. During Advent we relive the preparation of God’s people for the coming of the promised one. All the Scriptures that spoke of Christ our Lord’s coming in time now speak to us of his coming both at the end of time and to each one of us individually. It was the mission of John the Baptist to point the way to the Lamb of God, to lead the way to Christ and until the end of time he will continue to show the way to Christ. His message is very simple, we must put aside all that hinders the growth of Christ in us, we must decrease Christ must increase, so that we can grow into the fullness of the stature of Christ, and so manifest the tender mercy of our God, who gives us light and guides us into the way of peace.

Playing

2011-12-09T16:38:00.000Z

To illustrate his message our Lord draws upon his own childhood experience. No matter what game is suggested, there is always someone who wants to play something else. This characteristic of childhood is not limited to those early years, and he applied it to the people of his time "to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates, 'We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' John the Baptist, a model of austerity both in his dress and his way of life, did not satisfy their ideal, “they say, 'He has a demon', and so the message of John was rejected. Jesus then describes himself in contrasting terms to John’s portrait, “the Son of man came eating and drinking”, the Lord was aware of the criticisms made against him, and so he says they say about me, 'Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' And so the opposite reasons were adduced for not accepting the Lord’s message. The Lord was anguished by the hardness of heart which lay at the root of the criticisms of both John and himself but he gladly accepted the title that was given him “the friend of sinners”. Sinners know that they need the Lord, just as those who are sick need the physician. These calumnies spoken against our Lord are given in the gospel for our benefit, the Lord warned his disciples that they would be treated the same as He was, and so when we see that those who go about doing good in imitation of Christ, are subjected to abusive criticism we need only remember the Lord’s words that the disciple is not greater than the master and as they treated him so will the disciple be treated.

Healing

2011-12-05T19:03:00.000Z

Those who brought a man who was paralysed, showed how they were determined to bring the man to Jesus by going up to the roof, and lowering him down through the hole which they had made into the midst of the gathering in front of Jesus. By their action they had manifested that strength of faith that always was rewarded ”And when He saw their faith He said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you.". The coming of the Kingdom, as the prophet Isaiah had foretold would bring healing, “Behold, your God will come and save you.’Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.” (Is. 35:4-6) This healing is a manifestation of the power of God, it is the outward sign that hearts had turned to God through repentance and had received the forgiveness of sins.

If the Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; to listen to Jesus had truly understood that “the power of the Lord was with him to heal”, then they would have known that physical healing and change of heart were inseparable. They knew that God listens to the prayers of a humbled and contrite heart.

What was to be a great revelation of the fact that “the power of God was with him to heal” became a stumbling block rather than a step to greater understanding of Jesus and his mission.

That the scribes and the Pharisees began to question among themselves would have been good if it had been to seek the truth, they were right to say “Who can forgive sins but God only?”. They had studied the prophets but they lacked the faith to draw the right conclusions, instead they said, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies?" For this reason Jesus said “Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk?' In other words only the one who could do both would fit the description of the chosen one foretold by the prophets, they prophesied that he would bring healing and salvation. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus did not enlighten the disciples by any other method than by beginning with Moses and the prophets and so “he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself”.

When the man rose up and took his bed and walked “amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe” and yet some were unable to believe, not only did they not believe but they rejected him, and so Saint John would write: “he came unto his own and his own received him not”. The refusal to accept Jesus’ miracles and the authority that they manifested occurs frequently throughout the gospel. The refusal to accept his teaching was to lead to his being “despised and rejected and being led like a lamb to slaughter”.

We too who are in the house with Jesus, sitting and listening to his teaching, must be ever ready to be challenged, if we are to grow and deepen our faith. We may find that the challenge of the Lord may ask of us sacrifices that we never expected. We say that we are ready to walk in his way and then find that his way is not the way we had imagined for ourselves, and then are shocked when the Lord asks something quite unexpected. For this reason the church puts before us this morning the words of Isaiah: “to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes, he comes to save you.”

Kingdom

2011-11-20T15:21:00.000Z

The theme of kingdom is one of the most frequent to emerge in the teaching of Jesus. Indeed the proclamation of the gospel begins with the declaration “repent for the kingdom of God is at hand”. The call to conversion for the Kingom of Heaven is a call to realise that the life we now live and the choices which we have to make each day have consequences that determine our future, just as the lack of effort and the consequent failure to act will also have consequences which will be revealed on the Day of Judgement.

The parable of the sheep and goats teach us the need for compassion and mercy towards our neighbour and the importance of taking responsibility for others. God will judge us not only for the wrong we have done but also for what we have failed to do.

Now is the time of God’s mercy, for seeking his help and grace to turn away from sin, and to walk in his way of love. We can love freely, generously, and unconditionally because God has already poured his love into our hearts through the gift and working of his Holy Spirit.

The scriptures present us with the choice between two kingdoms -- the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. We have chosen to seek the kingdom founded on love and justice. Today as we honour and proclaim Jesus as Lord and King we accept that the way to that kingdom is through love and service. As Jesus told us those who would seek to be first in the kingdom should pursue the humble way of service, for He their king came not to be served but to serve.

Faith

2011-11-07T09:22:00.000Z

The Apostles said to the Lord “Increase our faith”. Faith increases through growth, the soil of our minds and hearts has to be cultivated if the seed is to develop and bear fruit.

"If we have faith as a grain of mustard seed we could work wonders. With faith, the Lord tells us we can do great things even “move a mountain or uproot a tree”. Growth in faith brings with it a growth in confidence. The word confidence derives from two Latin words cum fide, with faith. Faith enables us to put our trust in God.

The Lord said “Your faith will make you whole” and in this sense it is true to say that “holiness is wholeness”. The words of the apostles, which are for us a prayer “Increase our faith” means “Lord make us whole”. Unbelief are the dark areas of our lives, the fears that do not allow us to be fully what the Lord wants us to be. The truth of the Lord which is revealed to us in faith sets us free. Our faith assures us that the Lord alone is our light and our strength, our hope and our salvation.

Oil in the lamps

2011-11-06T17:02:00.000Z

We heard in the gospel that there were ten maidens whose task it was to accompany the bridegroom, five of them were foolish and five were wise, and we know why, because five provided for the possibility that more oil than was in the lamp would be needed and five did not. However, it should be noted that whether wise or foolish, they all fell asleep. This is true of our Christian life there are moments that despite all our efforts we fall asleep, drift away from our enthusiasm and commitment.

Today we are reminded to be on the watch “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." The rule of our Holy Father Saint Benedict seeks to keep us watchful and awake, and to put by the oil of good works so that we will be ready to meet the Lord when he comes.

To be on the watch and preparing for Christ's coming means to be attentive in prayer and generous in doing good works. Our holy Father Saint Benedict says quite explicitly in the Prologue: If we wish to dwell in the tent of his kingdom, we will never arrive unless we run there by doing good deeds.

The language of the Rule of Saint Benedict is vigorous and is summed up in “the good zeal” which we have to exercise “with most fervent love”.

To be watchful and to have oil in our lamps is expressed by Saint Benedict in the words of the Rule “Clothed with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on this way, with the Gospel for our guide, that we may deserve to see him who has called us to his kingdom”.

Stability is a manifestation of this constant watchfulness about which the Lord speaks in the gospel today. We must not delude ourselves into thinking that because we call out “Lord, Lord” we are safe. In several places in the gospel the Lord warns against such complacency. The sound balance of the Rule, Saint Benedict’s exhortation that all should be done wisely and prudently and in right measure, will ensure not only spiritual growth but also a healthy balanced daily life. Keeping things in due proportion is a guide to peaceful living, and enables us to do all for the love of Christ.

Fidelity

2011-11-05T08:43:00.001Z

The passage of the gospel which precedes this morning’s reading is about the steward who reduced the bills of his master’s debtors in order to secure himself a place when he lost his stewardship. The children of this world are wise in their ways so why do the children of the gospel not equally wise in their use of God’s gifts.

What is asked of us is quite simple, day in day out fidelity to our duty because through faithfulness "in a very little” we learn to be “faithful” when much is asked of us.

"No servant can serve two masters" There can be no such thing as private vice and public virtue. We cannot put our lives into compartments and at one time have one kind of behaviour and at others another kind of behaviour. Many great spiritual writers have warned against this danger, and Saint Benedict puts us on our guard by telling us that in all things God is to be glorified and that we should never forget that he is present everywhere.

As we reflected yesterday being faithful in little things, means keeping our own house in order and not trying to solve the world's problems.

We must faithfully get on with living our lives according to the gospel, so that we can make our Lord's words a reality namely that one "who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much."

Account

2011-11-04T12:16:00.000Z

"Turn in the account of your stewardship". Accountability is something that concerns each one of us and at all times, indeed the gospel warns us that the Lord will come at a time when we are not expecting him and we will have to render an account of all our deeds.

Our Holy Father Saint Benedict in his Holy Rule reminds the Abbot seven times that he will have to render an account of his ministry. The Cellarar, the monk who is responsible for the material administration of the monastery, will, says our Holy Father Saint Benedict, have to render an account of his stewardship on the day of judgment. In the twelfth degree of humility the monk is reminded that his behaviour, his whole way of life should be governed by the thought "that he is already at the fearful judgement" of God where he will have to render an account of his sins. Before we begin to take an interest in another's accountability let us obey the Lord and examine the splinter in our own eye. The words of our Lord in today's gospel do not simply in these days ring true, they go out to the ends of the earth like thunder: "One who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and one who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much".

So many people are asking themselves "Can you trust someone who dishonest, who will not render an account truthfully?"

The dishonest steward whom the master commended for his shrewdness acted in the way with which we are familiar, today we call it a cover up, or shifting the blame. We all "cover up or shift the blame" when we do not accept our accountability. It has always been like that from the very beginning. After our first parents had sinned God said to Adam, "have you eaten of the fruit of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" and Adam replied "The woman whom you gave me, she gave me of the fruit of the tree and I ate" Not only did he give the blame to the woman but actually reminded God that it was He who had given him the woman". Shifting the blame with insolence. When God asked Eve what she had done, she too tried a cover up, to shift the blame, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate". So we see that from the beginning sin leads from one falsehood to another. The Cross of Christ is God's appeal to us, recognise your sin for therein lies your cure.

All Souls

2011-11-02T13:35:00.000Z

Yesterday we honoured all the Saints in the glory of Heaven, and our hope was strengthened and we gained new courage from recalling that we too are called to be one with them in the Lord’s Kingdom. Today we acknowledge that the journey to that Kingdom which has begun already here on earth must pass through the gates of death. Our faith teaches us that we must not approach the subject of death like those who have no hope in future life but rather with faith and trust in the word of the Lord, nevertheless we can never be approach the mystery of death lightly. To seek to understand the significance of death is to seek to understand the meaning of life.

Our means of communication keep death before our eyes every day, earthquakes, wars, murders, terrorism, street crimes and accidents. We are overwhelmed with such news. But this has nothing to do with the spiritual teaching of Saint Benedict upon the necessity of keeping death daily before one’s eyes.

Given the daily reality of the tragic dimension of death which is set before us it is easy to understand how Christians can be considered as morbid for reflecting upon death.

So many of our prayers speak of death. The petition "pray for us now and at the hour of our death" is often on our lips.

We know that Christ died to save us from death and sin, He died in order that we might live. And so only in the mystery of Christ can we courageously reflect upon death, because in him we need have no fear. It is the victory of Christ over sin and death that gives us the hope that if we have died with him we shall also rise with him. In him who rose from the dead our hope of resurrection has dawned and the sadness of death gives way to the promise of immortality. Our faith tells us that with death, life is changed, not ended and that when the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven. Today let us intensify our prayer - May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

Daily living

2011-10-28T12:29:00.000+01:00

Humility is a great gift which frees us from our own limitations, it enables us to see ourselves truly, not only with our weaknesses but also with the wonderful gifts and talents that God has given us. Humility actually spurs us on to do great things for the glory of God. Saint Benedict tells us “we must always serve him with the gifts which he has given us”. Humility protects us against the despair of ever achieving our goals and ideals, and helps us avoid the pride which would blur our vision. If we take to heart the words of the Lord “ whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” we have learn a lesson for daily living. The exaltation which we must all seek is through following the way of the Cross , that was the lifting up which the Lord sort and through it has drawn us all to himself.

Small

2011-10-24T22:30:00.003+01:00

The mustard seed, the smallest of seeds is sown and imperceptibly it grows, and eventually spreads out its branches and provides for the needs of both man and animals. The Lord can work wonders in our day, small seeds of the kingdom are sown and those who place their faith and trust in the Lord will see growth as each season comes and goes. It will take time, we need to be patient and not be anxious for tomorrow, for our Father in heaven knows our needs. The transformation that comes about through patience is like the leaven in the dough. Leaven despite its appearance is a powerful means of producing nourishment when it interacts with the heavy dough to produce bread. No matter how small a Christian presence may be, it can still be a transforming presence when it is guided by the Holy Spirit, it can still be the leaven and give a faithful witness to Christ our Lord and Saviour. The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield our lives to Jesus Christ and allow his word to take root in our heart, we are transformed and made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Paul the Apostle says, “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us”.

Continuation

2011-10-15T23:47:00.000+01:00

Peter Jennings: I was impressed by your quotations from the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, especially his words: “The beauty of the Liturgy is a sublime expression of God’s glory”. How do you interpret these particular words of the Holy Father?
Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: The Liturgy, no matter where or in what rite it is celebrated is intrinsically beautiful, and this is the true meaning of Father Faber’s words that the Mass is: “The most beautiful thing this side of heaven”. The Roman Rite, the Ambrosian Rite, the various Eastern Rites and now the rite of our own newly established Ordinariate are all a beautiful thing and a sublime expression of God’s glory.
Whether celebrated in a magnificent cathedral or in a humble mission station devoid of decoration, whether in Latin or any other liturgical language this always is and always will be “the Mass of the ages”.
Peter Jennings: Many of the suggestions in your new CTS booklet strike me as being very practical and down to earth. Yet you insist on the need for a theological underpinning. Please elaborate on this?
Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: Perhaps you have in mind the remark that standards in church should be no less than that required in secular society, especially as regards behaviour, body language and dress code.
Well, we have to begin somewhere and small practical details can contribute to the work of enhancing the beauty and dignity of the Liturgy. Moments of silence before the celebration help to create the right atmosphere in which we can enter into the presence of God singing for joy. Let everything be in its right place and everyone know when and how to perform his or her particular function. There should be nothing artificial or affected, nothing that appears military in its style and precision.
Quite simply the putting into practice the of art of celebration is taking care to do what is right and contributes to the building up of the body of Christ. Even in moving about and in gestures we could learn something from the discipline of stage directions yet without becoming theatrical.
Peter Jennings: Someone wrote on a blog (this very blog in fact) that your CTS booklet “Participating in the Mass” should be obligatory reading. What is your reaction to this?
Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: I welcome the blogger’s remark as a compliment rather than a call to impose it on anyone. The late Cardinal Virgilio Noe’, former Master of Ceremonies to Pope Paul VI, with whom I worked in the Congregation for Divine Worship, once said to me: “We are not policemen; we are here to serve, to assist the Holy Father and the Church”. It is worth recalling that Cardinal Noe’s father was actually an Italian policeman!
Like every short study this booklet has its limitations. I have tried to write something that will encourage both priests and lay-faithful to deepen their liturgical life. Priests today need to be encouraged. Priests do not have any easy task and the good they do is not always seen or appreciated. If we all try to make improvements, then little by little we will see positive results. But whatever we do it must always be done in such a way that as Saint Benedict says: “In all things God may be glorified”.
Peter Jennings: Finally, I should like to ask you one further question. You have already contributed three booklets published by the CTS about the liturgy. The two titles already mentioned – see below – and a third, “A Simple Guide to the Mass“. Are you working or planning any further publications?
Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: The CTS has dedicated itself in an admirable way to providing for the liturgical needs of the Church in Great Britain.
The quality of these works, especially the edition of the Missal, is evident and a real and lasting contribution to the beautiful character of the liturgy.
Fergal Martin, General Secretary of the CTS, and his staff, have been most helpful to me. I have enjoyed collaborating with them. I have been encouraged to continue to produce more pastoral liturgical publications and am looking forward to starting work on these new projects.

Participating in the Liturgy

2011-10-15T00:53:00.000+01:00

Priests, laity, and the Liturgy – An interview with Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB, part 1

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB, during an exclusive interview with journalist Peter Jennings for CTS, explains how priests and the lay faithful should work closely together to achieve a standard of liturgical celebration which is both dignified and beautiful.

Peter Jennings: Your first CTS booklet, “Understanding the Roman Missal” has been well received. How does your new publication “Participating in the Mass – Celebrating the Liturgy with dignity & beauty” (available now) relate to it?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB: There is a widespread desire not only in the Catholic Church in Great Britain but elsewhere to celebrate the Liturgy with dignity and beauty.
This booklet carefully explains that mere external and aesthetic issues, important though these may be, are not of themselves enough. There is a need for all of us, priests and lay-faithful people, to learn the art of celebration. This is a skill which enables us to exercise correctly that full, conscious, and active participation in the Liturgy first called for by the Church more one hundred years ago and yet still not fully understood today.

Peter Jennings: In what particular way is the full, conscious, and active participation in the Liturgy not fully understood?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson:The expression full, conscious, and active participation should be understood within the context of the Church’s teaching on the Liturgy. Participation is first and foremost sharing in the Divine Life through the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the words of Saint Peter we are partakers of the Divine nature.
Participation is a disposition of mind and heart, body and soul. In general terms we understand participation as simply taking part in an event. Whereas in the liturgy our participation is not conditioned by what we do but by what we are: co-heirs with Christ and sharers in the Divine nature. Because of this everyone, irrespective of personal disability or restricted ability is able to participate fully and meaningfully in the Liturgy.

Peter Jennings: From what you have said so far, I understand that it is not by doing things in the Liturgy that one participates but by the fact of being baptised. Is this correct?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: Yes, you are right and put in another way, participation as understood in this way is the exercise of the priesthood of all the faithful, We are a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a People Set Apart. There is indeed a diversity of roles to be fulfilled in the celebration of the liturgy. Those who exercise them in a way which edifies everyone is one manifestation of the actualising of our baptismal responsibilities as members of the Body of Christ.

Peter Jennings: The Church has given many directives about the Liturgy so what more needs to be done?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: Directives and instructions are necessary and we have had an abundance of them, some may say we have had far too many. Indeed all that needs to be said has been said. For this reason the booklet “Participating in the Mass” is not a series of do’s and don’ts. It is an attempt to help us understand the liturgical, theological and spiritual dimension of the directives which ensure good order and dignity when we celebrate the sacred Liturgy.
No matter how faithful the observance of ceremonial and rubrics might be, no matter how elegant the vestments and ornamentations of the church might be, this will not of itself ensure that conscious and active participation which leads us to share and live the mystery of Christ in the Liturgy.

Peter Jennings: I know that you have always had a keen interest in the liturgy form the time that we first knew each other at school in Scotland over fifty years ago. Tell me something of your experiences over the years.

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: My interest in the Liturgy stems from my parish church on Tyneside where my uncle was the organist and choirmaster.
I always preferred to serve the sung Mass on a Sunday. The choir sang simple Gregorian chant antiphons and the Masses of Sir Richard Terry the first Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral. When I joined the monastery in 1964, I received encouragement from Dom Henry Ashworth to pursue the study of the Liturgy. I was able to pursue the technical side of both the Liturgy and the Chant at the Abbey of Solesmes in France and in Rome.
After obtaining a doctorate in Liturgical Theology, I was called to the Vatican to work in the Congregation for Divine Worship from 1983 to 1996.

Peter Jennings: I know you have co-authored about 16 volumes on the sources of the Latin liturgy and written numerous articles in International Reviews and the richness of your experience come through in your writing. With such experience, how do you see the development of the liturgy?

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson: While we must always trust in the Lord, we must take care not to presume upon His goodness and kindness. To expect great improvements without making an effort to bring them about, is like asking the Lord to change stones into bread. Musicians, artists and all who work in the sphere of the Liturgy need to be encouraged and not just by words. Music and works of art need to be commissioned. And Bursaries could be set up to help young Catholic musicians and artists.
Those who can contribute to the development of the aesthetic dimension of worship need to be helped to what is meant by sacred art and learn from the Church’s rich musical patrimony.

Peter Jennings: Please give me a specific example?

Abbot Johnson: On Easter morning, the Introit as given in the Gregorian Chant version, is in the contemplative and meditative fourth mode. The words and melody suggests the image of one who has awoken from sleep, who lays aside the shroud and wraps up the cloth which was about his head.
Gregorian chant has its joyful and vigorous modes, but the Church chooses to open the Easter Mass in the awesome contemplation of the mystery of the Resurrection.
It is to the silent yet eloquent testimony of the tomb that the Church guides our attention, for only the tomb witnessed that saving event. Many composers might be tempted to open the Easter Day celebration with a fanfare of trumpets and multiple “alleluias”. This is another and equally valid approach but would we not be losing a precious insight if we overlooked this other dimension?
By studying such ancient examples in both music and art we can learn so much and enrich our faith.

What matters

2011-10-11T21:05:00.002+01:00

The words of the gospel today are addressed not only to religious leaders but to everyone who undermines the preaching of the gospel, to those who contest the teaching of the Church and lead others astray. There are those who make an issue out of insignificant matters, just as the Pharisees did when they ”tithed mint and dill and cummin, and neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith”. One subtle way in which the attitude which Jesus condemns manifests itself, is when Christians focus on condemnation (as the Pharisees did), rather than salvation. The Lord calls us to repentance. While the Lord warned the Scribes and Pharisees, he was still calling for a change of heart which God asks of those who seek Him. The Lord, like the prophet Micah, answered the question: “With what shall I come before the Lord God?” with the words “The Lord requires of you to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly” in the ways of the Lord all the days of our lives.

Appearances

2011-10-10T22:27:00.000+01:00

The prescribed washing spoken about in the gospel was not a thorough hand washing as we would understand it today, that is in order to remove dirt and germs. This washing was a mere ritual gesture with barely a trickle of water which symbolised ridding oneself from any contamination with anything or anyone that might be considered unholy or unclean.

There are prescriptions in the Book of Leviticus concerning hygiene, we might describe them as belonging to the category of health and safety regulations. The Lord was not disregarding such legislation. It was rather with mere external forms that the Lord was concerned. Actions and gestures can easily become a mere facade or worse still be a cover for external virtue while hiding private vice. The danger of such practices is that they can lead those who fall prey to them to put their trust in these externals rather than in the Lord’s saving grace. The Psalmist already warned against those who put their trust in horses and chariots, that is their own strength, and not in the name of the Lord. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of Redemption.

Doing good

2011-10-07T08:50:00.000+01:00

Jesus went about doing good healing every disease and every infirmity. These signs accompanied the preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and were themselves a manifestation of the coming of the Kingdom: “if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you”. The miraculous deeds that he performed were to help the faith of the people. The Pharisees who studied the Scriptures failed to recognise that the hand of the Lord was at work in Jesus. The crowds whose hearts hungered for God were filled with “amazement but the Pharisees not only refused to acknowledge these mighty deeds but even sought to attribute the power of the Lord to the “prince of demons”. Perhaps because we now see Jesus as Lord and the Victorious One who has overcome sin and death, we pass over too lightly the awful scandalous nature of the accusation against Jesus. Those who suffer as victims of false accusation will suffer greatly. Perhaps a sure sign of the presence of the devil and his work is found in those who slander and revile others. Such action is an attack upon truth. Today in the gospel we see such an attack against the One who said “I am the way, the truth and the life”. We see an attack by the unholy against Him who is the Holy One of God.

Hope will be Helpful

2011-09-09T09:35:00.001+01:00

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson explains his new companions to the Liturgy

Abbot Cuthbert Johnson’s booklet Understanding the Roman Missal was very well received when it was published earlier in the year. Here, he explains the differences between that one and his new booklets which he sees as companions to it. He points out that they were written to coincide with the priests and people getting used to the new English translation of the Mass, and tells of how the success of his first text was a springboard to writing more, looking at different aspects and consequences of the changes to the Liturgy.

The first booklet Understanding the Roman Missal was written before the texts of the Order of Mass came into use. There had been some concerns about the new translation of the third edition of the Latin Roman Missal which was published in 2002. Since these concerns were dealt with in publications by those who had been more closely involved in the preparation of the texts, it seemed more appropriate for me, as a monk and liturgist, to prepare a more directly liturgical and spiritual commentary in preparation for the introduction of the new text.

It would appear that this small work was much appreciated and I was encouraged to write similar works as part of the catechetical preparation for the introduction of the full Missal in Advent. The Simple Guide to the Mass is designed to be read in the light of the experience of the Order of Mass which was introduced last week. It is similar in style to the booklet Understanding the Roman Missal and is a companion to it. Several of the points touched upon in the first booklet are developed in this short and concise study of the Mass.

The third booklet Participating in the Mass, Celebrating the Liturgy with dignity and beauty is meant to provide practical assistance to both clergy and lay faithful to ensure a celebration of the liturgy which is both spiritually enriching and aesthetically pleasing. Many people have felt that the beautiful dimension of liturgical worship has been undervalued. This work, which could be described as a guide to the art of celebration, should make a contribution to the restoration of what some have described as the “loss of a sense of mystery”.

All of them are available from the CTS website.

Of related interest:

Simple Guide to the Mass – Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB, a Consultor to the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship, provides a simple and concise guide to the new translation of the Mass introduced by the Church on Sunday, 4 September 2011.

Pope Benedict XVI has expressed the wish that the introduction of the new translation will mark the beginning of: “A renewal and a deepening of Eucharistic devotion all over the English-speaking world”.

Participating in the Mass -Abbot Cuthbert Johnson OSB, in this companion to his widely acclaimed CTS booklet Understanding the Roman Missal, provides an informative, step-by-step guide to the celebration of the Mass, to enable the Liturgy to be celebrated with reverence.

Understanding the Roman Missal – the New Translation -A presentation and explanation of the new translation, accompanied by liturgical and spiritual reflections. This presentation and explanation of the new translation is accompanied by a series of liturgical and spiritual reflections.

New Translation

2011-08-28T22:21:00.000+01:00

The Church, not only in Britain but throughout the whole English-speaking world, now has a new edition of the Roman Missal. This presentation and explanation of the new translation is accompanied by a series of liturgical and spiritual reflections.