It is a Hard Saying

23 August [21st Sunday of Ordinary Time] John 6:60-69 I always found a resonance to the words “it is a hard saying, and I cannot listen to it”, and, as Jesus succeeded, I reacted. At the point of John’s Gospel, 6:60 John, the net result of so many commentators about the words of “it is a hard saying” write longer and longer responses. Contrary as usual I prefer to focus on the verses of this 6th Chapter of John. As happens, the Spirit seems to be fascinating on one particular verse. This morning for me this morning is Number 65, as Jesus says , “No one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father”. The Lectionary Readings give us the text of the passage selected. The use of the Bible itself always gives us the benefit of the Number of each individual verse. And so Verse 65 gives me enough with the personal voice of Jesus and resounds with the Father. In this mode, the introduction to the Mass concludes with St. Peter’s words, (68 )Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." That was all very well then, until the actual reading of the Gospel. I found myself taken aback by the version. The two verses, John 6:60 and 6:65, shall appear rather stricken in their parallels. LectionaryJB Gospel John 6:60-69 After hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ Jesus was aware that his followers were complaining about it and said, ‘Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before? ‘It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. ‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the outset those who did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. He went on, ‘This is why I told you that no one could come to me unless the Father allows him.’ After this, many of his disciples left him and stopped going with him. Then Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’ (Jerusalem Bible) RSV Gospel John 6:60-69 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." (Revised Standard Version) John 6:60 multi ergo audientes ex discipulis eius dixerunt durus est hic sermo quis potest eum audire (Vulgate) John 6:65 et dicebat propterea dixi vobis quia nemo potest venire ad me nisi fuerit ei datum a Patre meo (Vulgate) ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 6:60: Πολλοὶ οὖν ἀκούσαντες ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ εἶπον· Σκληρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος· τίς δύναται αὐτοῦ ἀκούειν; Greek Orthodox Church ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 6:65 και ελεγεν δια τουτο ειρηκα υμιν οτι ουδεις δυναται ελθειν προς με εαν μη η δεδομενον αυτω εκ του πατρος Westcott / Hort, UBS4 Variants After hearing the version of the Passage, Jn. 6:60-65, from the Jerusalem Bible, I wondered if the translator is not a native English writer. In a check of the original Jerusalem Bible (La Sainta Bible) in French it reads, (60)“Ce langage-là est trop fort! Qui peut l’écouter?”, (65)”Voilà pourquoi je vous dit quenul ne peut venir à, sino par un don du Père.” The French version seems inoffensive. What remains are the remarkable words, ‘This is intolerable language,’ and “unless the Father allows him.’ Someone mentions, similarly, the case of 'the Beatitudes' in the English Jerusalem Bible. Perhaps we await a new Lectionary.

Bartolomew in no guile

24 August JOHN 1:45-51 FEAST OF BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE Nathanael (called "Bartholomew" in the synoptic gospels) was skeptical when Philip told him that Jesus was the promised Messiah of God. The scriptures said that the messiah would come from David's city, Bethlehem in Judah (Mi 5:1), not from a lowly place like Nazareth in Galilee. Philip invited Nathanael to come and judge for himself. Jesus overcame Nathanael's doubts by a demonstration of supernatural knowledge, knowing his thoughts and actions: "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree" (v 48). Jesus said that Nathanael was guileless, a "true Israelite" like Jacob, the first to bear the name "Israel" (Gn 32:29). Even though Jacob was a man of deception, he witnessed angelic beings ascending and descending to heaven (Gn 28:12). Nathanael would see even greater things in the death and resurrection of Jesus .(Kay Murdy). Saint Bartholomew. From the various Readings in the Monastic Lectionary, John Henry Newman, Saint Bede Theaphanes Cerameus and St John Chrysostom, I found the writing of Saint Bede affectionate with the guileless ness of Bartholomew/Nathanael. From a homily by Saint Bede (Horn. I, 17: CCL CXXIl, 123-124) When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him he said of him: Here is a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit. Notice here that when God who knows our hearts praises anyone, he affirms that that person is free from deceit, but not from sin. There is no one on earth so righteous that he always does what is good and never sins, but we read of many who have been without deceit, that is, who have lived in simplicity and purity of heart; indeed, this is how all believers are taught to live. Scripture says: Think of the Lord with uprightness, and seek him in simplicity of heart; and the Lord's own words are: Be as cunning as snakes, and as guileless as doves. Such was Job, a model of patience, of whom it is written that he was an honest and upright man. Such was the patriarch Jacob, of whom it is said: Jacob was an honest man and lived in tents. And because since his conscience was clear and blameless he deserved to see God, he was called Israel, which means "one who sees God." Such was our Nathanael. Because he followed the same blameless way of life as the patriarch, the Lord deemed him worthy of the patriarch's reward. Here, he said, is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. Here is a true descen­dant of the patriarch who saw God, one who is found to be guileless like the patriarch himself. What a fine omen for one coming to God and longing to see him! Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. And this man who desires to see God is praised for his purity of heart· by none other than God himself who tests our minds and hearts, and he is declared to be an Israelite, that is, a descendant of the man who saw God. Oh what a great hope for us Gentiles who have come to the faith, for these words of our Redeemer make salvation accessible to us as well! Since the true Israelite is one whose life is free from deceit, all those Jews who have fallen from the simplicity of their patriarch by holding guile in their hearts have now lost the name of Israelite even though they are Israel's descendants; and we ourselves have been adopted as Israel's offspring because despite our Gentile origin we follow in his footsteps by true faith and purity of mind and body. For according to the Apostle's teaching, Not all Israel's descendants are true Israelites, nor are all Abraham’s descendants his real children. Scripture says: It is through Isaac that your name shall be carried on. In other words, it is not those born in the course of nature who are God's children; it is the children born in fulfilment of God's promise who are regarded as Abraham's descendants.

Stone of Foundation

D.O.M, - Per Matrem Eius Mariam in festo Immaculati Cordis Illius, 22 Augusti 1954. Today, 22 August, we celebrated the Queenship of Mary. In fact it is a special anniversary for Nunraw Abbey. It marks the historical day of the laying the foundation of the monastery on the 22nd August 1954. The calendar of the date of that day recalls a much more important celebration. As the Octave of the Assumption we celebrated the three Nocturns with 12 Lessons of Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. The Readings commented on the words "his mother kept all these things in her heart" by Bernardine of Siena, Serm. 9 of Visitation, and Bede the Ven., Hom.1st Sun. after Epiph. The evolution of the titles of Mary is very interesting, even rewarding in the significance of the outlooks in Marian understanding. The Most Pure Heart of Mary, the Immaculate heart of Mary, and today the Queenship of Mary. Most of interest and significance to us is the Feast of the 22nd August as it is engraved on the Foundation Stone dedicated, D.O.M, (Deus Optimus Maximus) Per Matrem Eius Mariam in festo Immaculati Cordis Illius, 22 Augusti 1954. The memory remains fresh for so many who came to make it the Marian Year Pilgrimage of 1.500 of the faithful. It was an open air Mass and apart from a tarpaulin over the altar we were all drenched by the heavy rains. In a recent years, one of the later elderly Knights of Columba ushers for the occasion, produced a memorable document, he had saved from the debris mud when tidying up after the 'rally'. It was the text of the Homily of Dom Columban, the First Abbot, who preached. (The text is contained in the Necrology page of the Website). The Gospel that day was: Luk 2:48 And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously." Luk 2:49 And he said to them, "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" Luk 2:50 And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. Luk 2:51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. It could not be more appropriate to the Heart of Mary, “the mother who kept all things in her heart.” Feast days (history note from Wikpedia) Main articles: Pope Pius XII Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacro Vergente Fatima Statue of Pope Pius XII, who consecrated Russia and the World: Just as a few years ago We consecrated the entire human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, so today We consecrate and in a most special manner We entrust all the peoples of Russia to this Immaculate Heart… In 1799 Pius VI, then in captivity at Florence, granted the Bishop of Palermo the feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary for some of the churches in his diocese. In 1805 Pius VII made a new concession, thanks to which the feast was soon widely observed. Such was the existing condition when a twofold movement, started in Paris, gave fresh impetus to the devotion. The two factors of this movement were, first of all, the revelation of the "miraculous medal" in 1830 and all the prodigies that followed, and then the establishment at Notre-Dame-des-Victoires of the Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Refuge of Sinners, which spread rapidly throughout the world and was the source of numberless alleged graces. On 21 July 1855, the Congregation of Rites finally approved the Office and Mass of the Most Pure Heart of Mary without, however, imposing them upon the Universal Church. During the third apparition at Fatima, Portugal on 13 July 1917, the Virgin Mary allegedly said that "God wishes to establish in the world devotion to her Immaculate Heart" in order to save souls from going into the fires of hell and to bring about world peace, and also asked for the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart. Pope Pius XII, in his Apostolic Letter of 7 July 1952, Sacro Vergente consecrated Russia to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. On 25 March 1984, Pope John Paul II fulfilled this request again, when he made the solemn act of consecration of the world, and implicitly Russia, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary before the miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary of Fatima brought to Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican for the momentous occasion. Sister Lucia, OCD, then the only surviving visionary of Fatima, confirmed that the request of Mary for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary was accepted by Heaven and therefore, was fulfilled. Again on 8 October 2000, Pope John Paul II made an act of entrustment of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the new millennium. Roman Catholic feast days Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1944 to be celebrated on 22 August,[5] thus replacing the traditional octave day of the Assumption (compare 22 August in the Tridentine Calendar with the same date on the General Roman Calendar as in 1954). In 1969, Pope Paul VI moved the celebration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the day (Saturday) immediately after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This means in practice that it is now held on the day before the third Sunday after Pentecost.[6] At the same time as he closely associated the celebrations of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Paul VI moved the celebration of the Queenship of Mary from 31 May to 22 August, bringing it into association with the feast of her Assumption. Those who use the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal as an extraordinary form of the Roman Rite continue to follow the practice institued by Pius XII in 1944.

Pius X Aug 21

August 21, 2009 St. Pius X (1835-1914) In the offering of Holy Mass, the memory of St. Pius X gives us a deeper proactive sharing in the Eucharist and an awareness of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. By that inspiration we frequent visits to the Church and growing to learn and practice of constant prayer. Pope Pius X is perhaps best remembered for his encouragement of the frequent reception of Holy Communion, especially by children. Joseph Sarto became Pius X at 68, one of the twentieth century’s greatest popes. He is known by his outstanding role in the varied developments of renewal in the Church, and at the same time drawn into the politics of Europe For the faithful, what was at the heart of his pastoral care was the centre of gravity of the Eucharist, or expressed in another way by his motto “To restore all thing in Christ” (Eph 1:10). There was a popular outcry in the favour of his canonization immediately he died. This morning we read the Gospel Mt 22:34-40 and found ourselves imbibing from the Shema from the OT and looks beyond to the measure of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. ‘Other Jewish teachers had picked out the two greatest commandments. Jesus was not original in that. The first was the most familiar verse of the Old Testament: the ‘Shema’, Deuteronomy 6:5. The second was Leviticus 19:18. When Jesus quoted the Old Testament he quoted accurately of course. But when he spoke from himself he did not say, “Love your neighbour as yourself,” but “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34; 15:12). There’s a colossal difference!’ Among achievements of Pius X was the reform of Church music with the encouragement of Gregorian Chant. The Breviary today uses the Reading:. From the apostolic constitution Divino afflatu of Pope Saint Pius X The song of the Church The collection of psalms found in Scripture, composed as it was under divine inspiration, has, from the very beginnings of the Church, shown a wonderful power of fostering devotion among Christians as they offer to God a continuous sacrifice of praise, the harvest of lips blessing his name. Following a custom already established in the Old Law, the psalms have played a conspicuous part in the sacred liturgy itself, and in the divine office. Thus was born what Basil calls the voice of the Church, that singing of psalms, which is the daughter of that hymn of praise (to use the words of our predecessor, Urban VIII) which goes up unceasingly before the throne of God and of the Lamb, and which teaches those especially charged with the duty of divine worship, as Athanasius says, the way to praise God, and the fitting words in which to bless him. Augustine expresses this well when he says: God praised himself so that man might give him fitting praise; because God chose to praise himself man found the way in which to bless God. The psalms have also a wonderful power to awaken in our hearts the desire for every virtue. Athanasius says: Though all Scripture, both old and new, is divinely inspired and has its use in teaching, as we read in Scripture itself, yet the Book of Psalms, like a garden enclosing the fruits of all the other books, produces its fruits in song, and in the process of singing brings forth its own special fruits to take their place beside them. In the same place Athanasius rightly adds: The psalms seem to me to be like a mirror, in which the person using them can see himself, and the stirrings of his own heart; he can recite them against the background of his own emotions. Augustine says in his Confessions: How I wept when I heard your hymns and canticles, being deeply moved by the sweet singing of your Church. Those voices flowed into my ears, truth filtered into my heart, and from my heart surged waves of devotion. Tears ran down, and I was happy in my tears. Indeed, who could fail to be moved by those many passages in the psalms which set forth so profoundly the infinite majesty of God, his omnipotence, his justice and goodness and clemency, too deep for words, and all the other infinite qualities of his that deserve our praise? Who could fail to be roused to the same emotions by the prayers of thanksgiving to God for blessings received, by the petitions, so humble and confident, for blessings still awaited, by the cries of a soul in sorrow for sin committed? Who would not be fired with love as he looks on the likeness of Christ, the redeemer, here so lovingly foretold? His was the voice Augustine heard in every psalm, the voice of praise, of suffering, of joyful expectation, of present distress.

Bernard Cistercian

Solemnity of St. Bernard of Clairvaux August 20

A Prayer from Bernard of Clairvaux

As we celebrated the community Mass this morning, a thought came to mind on St. Bernard’s popular prayer rather than his greater writings.

“In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary”. We celebrate the Solemnity of St. Bernard

We call him the mellifluous Doctor. He is admired him as mellifluous but in a sense can be counter productive. He is greatly prolific. So many are hindered by loss of memory, or deafness or dyslexia.

The words seem ring when we hear the prayer, “In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, . . .” Our’s is more familiar. In fact we recall more the word MEMORARE. “Memorare” is more powerful as shortcut not just to the Prayer but to the whole spirit of St. Bernard.

As we offer the Holy Mass we are reminded of St. Bernard in the ways he inspired and lead so many to the sacrifice of themselves to God. We pray by the intercession of St. Bernard for the so many people who suffer from the effects of Autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Dyslexia, Aphasia.

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Memorare
To Remember

Memorare, o piisima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia esse derelicta. Nos tali animati confidentia ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, currimus; ad te venimus; coram te gementes peccatores assistimus. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba nostra despicere, sed audi propitia et exaudi. R. Amen.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins and Mother; to thee do we come; before thee do we stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer us. R. Amen

After the Chapter we listened to the sermon of Br. Philip.

Feast of St. Bernard. 20 Aug 2009. Feast of St. Bernard. 20 Aug 2009. Saint Bernard with his friends William of St. Thierry and St. Aelred of Rievaulx stand like medieval triptych. The dominating figure of Bernard with his two companions, William the great theologian, and Aelred, the example of friendship, Bernard stands between the two, the synthesis of contemplation of the Divine. Together these men represent that balance between the love of God and the love of man and friendship. Which animated their theology and gave it life. Bernard is complex – if not paradoxical he was undoubtedly the most dynamic figure of the twelfth century, if not the whole of the middle ages. For he dominated all other voices in his own century and changed more patterns of thought and sentiment than anyone else. He was born around 1190 at the court of the Counts of Burgundy. He was a member of a wealthy Burgundian family. His mother, Aleth, died when Bernard was about fourteen. When he was tempted to pursue learning for reasons of vain glory, his mind filled with the reproachful vision of his mother. Praying in chapel one day, he contemplated the verse: “If therefore thine eye be single, the whole body shall be full of light.” Thence was started a light, says Bernard, “like the flame which turns the forest into a roaring blaze and then grows on to turn the mountains black.” It was serene as well as a reforming light, for it shone in him, and through him, and with him. Bernard had an irresistible charm with people. When he was only twenty-two. He decided to enter the monastic community of Citeaux. At that point he persuaded his uncle, four of his five bothers, and twenty five friends to accompany him in this way of life. Earthly honours and comforts he despised, with a total lack of self-interest. ‘To be poor with Christ’ was his one concern. So, despite his father’s opposition, he and his friends lived in the primitive huts in the marshy valley of the river Aube at Citeaux. From 1127 until his death, he was called upon to give council on temporal affairs all over Europe. He patched up the Papal Schism, and in 1145, Eugene III, one of his spiritual sons was elected Pope. It is probable he spent as more than a third of his time at Clairvaux. Yet he was sick from continual gastric illnesses. Before he entered Citeaux, the Cistercian Order scarcely existed. At his death, the Order possessed 350 Abbeys. Simply stated, Bernard’s’ belief was: knowledge of God comes only through devotion to God, in poverty, simplicity and in solitude. Within his generation, the Cistercian movement – based on these principles – was the greatest success story of the middle ages.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Presented by His Parents, Saints Aleth and Tescelin

Pot metal, white glass, vitreous paint, silver stain, sanguine

German, Kreis Schleiden, Mariawald, Cistercian Cloister Church, ca. 1505-8

This scene, along with its neighbouring three, are probably part of the glazing from the Cistercian church of Mariawald, located southwest of Colonge. Here, the Cologne glass painters adapted colour to the traditional fondness for white glass, so that large areas of saturated color are combined with equally large sections of grisaille. These windows are stylistically related to the windows in the north aisle of the Cologne cathedral.

Bequest of George D. Pratt, 1935, (41.170.104-.106). NYC - Metropolitan Museum of Art - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Presented by His Parents, Saints Aleth and Tescelin (a creative Commons License).

Guerric, Bl. Aug 19

Blessed Guerric of Igny (+1157), one of the Four Evangelists of the Order of Cîteaux.

Fr. Hugh read the 2nd Vigil Reading and he also Presided at Community Mass this morning of August 19th.

BLESSED GUERRIC August 19th. Blessed Guerric has been described as one of the four Evangelists of Citeaux. Together with St. Aelred and William off St.Thierry he is one of the most important of the first' generation Cistercian writers" He was born sometime between 1070 and 1080 and became a Canon of Tournai and headmaster of the Episcopal School there; a post he held for some years. He entered the novitiate at Clairvaux about the year 1121. At that time he would have been about 45-50; at least ten years older than its Abbot St. Bernard. He was elected Abbot of Igny the fourth daughter house of Clairvaux in 1138 as their second Abbot.It is now a Cistercian convent. Guerric died in 1157 when he would have been in his eighties·and his relics are still preserved at Igny. Guerric's literary remains consist of only fifty-four sermons. On his deathbed he ordered these to be burnt. His monks obeyed but they had a second copy! His sermons are simpler and less ornate than those of Aelred and Bernard whose sermons were embellished and polished up after they had been delivered in the chapter room. Like St. Bernard, Guerric has a great devotion to Christ's Nativity. This together with devotion to Our Lady has a dulcifying element in an austere monastic life. He said in one of his Christmas Sermons (Nat I para 4). 'What incomparable sweetness and loving kindness' that I should see the God who made me, himself made a child for my sake.' Consideration of this, he continues, curbs 'rancour of soul, bitterness of speech and harshness of manner.' 'Unto to us a child is born, unto to us a Son is given', Each individual is a mother of Christ 'who has been born in you and for you.' (Natt, 3 para 5) Whilst being profoundly conscious of the splendour of our Faith he was also very much aware of the inadequacy of his time. Like St Aelred he never thought that he was living in a great age of the Church or in a great period of monastic history. 'Today,' he says, 'if you ask people about their Faith you will find them practically all very Christian, but if you search more deeply you will find that there are very few who are truly Christians. Almost the whole world confesses verbally that it knows God, but it denies Him by its deeds’. (Epiph. IV para 2) Guerric believed that the besetting sin amongst religious of his day was negligence. He accused, himself of this which results in idleness, both intellectual and physical. Nevertheless, Guerric is no gloomy pessimist. He is someone who clearly enjoyed his Faith and his monastic life and was aware oft· the possibilities they offer. In one of his Advent Sermons he speaks of· God's advances towards us: 'However far you journey along it, the way is always waiting to be prepared, so that you must start afresh from the place you have reached and advance along what lies ahead. You are led to do so because at every stage you meet the Lord, for those coming you are preparing, and each time you see· Him in a completely new way and as a much greater figure than you have met before’. (Advent V Para 1). (Fr. Hugh) IGNY ABBEY

Mark Caira Blessing 6

Few Words from the Abbot These are the few words that every abbot is called to give at his Blessing. Oops! I have just been informed that the caterers have asked to keep you here as long as possible…. Well, Sometime ago Fr Raymond and I were talking about the Abbatial Blessing. He said I’d have to say something near the end. ‘But’, he said,’ that’s easy: all you have to say is h-e-l-p!!’ — I wonder was he talking from experience? At the time of his Blessing, six years ago, Mgr Grady the former VG of the archdiocese was getting more and more frail. He came all the same and took part in the concelebration. But he had to sit all the time and was seated away from the other priests. He received the consecrated host like everyone else but he couldn’t come forward for the chalice and, between the coming and going, he was overlooked. Someone sitting next to him came up and told me he hadn’t received the chalice. So I went to the altar where there were three chalices. All of them were empty. I believe that day I witnessed a small miracle. I was at a loss to know what to do. In a kind of desperation I took up one chalice and turned it upside down over the second and waited a little. Then I did the same with the third chalice. When I looked into the first chalice there was just about enough wine to give the Mgr a sip. With some relief I went over and presented the chalice to him. He took it thankfully. But before he drank it he looked up at me and asked, ‘Is there anyone else to receive? I’ve never forgotten that remark. Others have told me that Mgr Grady was a man of some learning, consideration and refinement. That day I saw he was truly an educated man. The goodness that had grown in him was drawn out by the thought that there might be others beside him. He just didn’t ‘dive in’ and think only of himself. That, to me, says a lot about real living, whether you are a priest, a single or married person, a monk or nun, and certainly about an abbot living in his community. Life is not just about me. Each of us must take pains to be what we should be if we are to be any use to others and most importantly to of use to God. But there are other lessons in that experience I had six years ago. For the Mgr there was no wine, or so I thought at first. I did try to do something not really thinking it would come to anything, but it did. It seemed almost a waste of time but it did produce something. Much of our lives can be like that. What’s the point? When we try something, a new interest, a new job, a new friendship, a new way of life, it may come to nothing. But it may give us an added enrichment, even a complete change of life. In the monastery we don’t really do an awful lot that is different from most of what you do, who are gathered here to celebrate another stage in the life of Nunraw. Much of our daily lives is taken up with supplying our daily needs of body and soul which is common to everyone. Obviously a fair part of our day is devoted to prayer and the life of the spirit, which of course is why we came here in the first place. We try to create an environment that is conducive to the development of the inner life, our own, and, to some extent, that of those who come to us. A new abbot is bound to make a difference in the life of a monastery. We hope that his influence will be a very good one, sometimes it may not be. But we all, always, hope that it will be for a better and fruitful life for each of the community and for all the many friends and kind people who want to be associated with us. Today we thank God for this new opportunity to make a new beginning. Jean Vanier, the founder of the L’Arche communities said that we should always take the opportunity to celebrate something in our lives. Today we give you a reason to join us in doing just that, here in this marquee and later in the community refectory. Thank you very much for coming.