FEAST OF ST LAURENCE 2022
I thought it was time for me to hear from St Laurence, so I arranged a time when we could sit together, I listened and learnt.
The views of our patron are not without significance, even though he became our patron, almost by an accident of history. One thing is certain, Laurence knew, he knew all too well, that it was only a matter of time before he would be asked to decide either for Christ or the Emperor. There was of course no choice, Jesus would win every time.
I knew, therefore, that in conversing with St Laurence he would give me clear teaching. Teaching that would be straight to the point but also teaching that would be uncompromising. I was not surprised therefore when he told me three things.
Get moving
Don’t get distracted
Be completely dependent on Jesus
Get moving:
Paul has made this abundantly clear in his second letter to the Corinthians: ‘Thin sowing means thin reaping…there is no limit to the blessings which God can send you – he will always make sure that you will always have all you need for yourselves in every possible circumstance’. If you live from a default position of doubt, fear, laziness, uncertainty, arrogance, or negativity then this is what you will reap. Paul, on the other hand, speaks of no limit to the blessings and having what we need in every circumstance.
It’s time, it is time for us as a monastic community to get up and live from the blessings that God has given and that he desires to continue to give. We need to get up and get moving and be confident in the mission that God has entrusted to us of evangelizing the nation, revitalizing our Church, and transforming society. Benedictines have done this throughout history and as sons of St Benedict we need to get up and get moving on this new stage of our call. It’s time, it is time for us to learn from St Laurence and to stand firm in certain faith, committing ourselves today to stop complaining about what isn’t and build on what can be.
We are a mission – we are a mission because of the relationship we have with Christ. As Pope Francis said to a group of young people, over 50,000 attending a Youth Festival:
“Come to me, all of you who are tired and oppressed, and I will give you refreshment.” The Lord does not reserve these words only for the apostles or for some of his friends, but he addresses them to all those who are tired and oppressed. He knows how difficult life can be and that there are many things that strain our hearts: so many disappointments, various past wounds, burdens we carry and injustices we endure, many uncertainties and worries. Faced with all this, Jesus tells us: “Come to me and learn from me”. It is an invitation to move, not to remain still, frozen and afraid in front of life, and to entrust oneself to him. It seems easy, but in dark moments it is natural to close in on oneself. Instead, Jesus wants to get us out, so he tells us ‘Come’.”
This is not a time to rest on the past, this is a time to get up and get moving into the future.
Don’t Be Distracted:
Hence St Laurence has asked us to guard against being distracted. Looking at the risks, the uncertainty, rehearsing what was and therefore failing to take ownership of what is and what can be. If living in a monastic foundation has taught me anything it helped me to be open to what is possible and work with what is presently available. It has taught me to be ever open. Often in Zimbabwe there was a temptation to get caught up, distracted by superficial things, the political or religious uncertainty and the daily frustrations of lack of electricity, water, or telephone.
Faithfully stepping out in faith, daily surrendering to the will of God in this moment, sensitive and open to the lead from the Holy Spirit, trusting in the one who has called, these were the guidelines that allowed new and creative encounters to take place. The Gospel acclamation gave us this strong advice today: ‘Anyone who follows me will not be walking in darkness…he will have the light of life.’ Do we need any more assurance, encouragement?
One hundred years ago this month the foundation stone was laid for this Abbey Church. I cannot believe that the brethren at that time did not have their fair share of anxiety about the future. Having just emerged from one World War they would some years later be immersed in yet another. We like, them can easily become distracted by the circumstance that we find ourselves in. A society which has lost its taste for God. The humiliating and shameful effects of the abusive behaviour of members of our own community, the consequent removal of the College from our ultimate control. The slow and inevitable handing over of our parishes, our reduction in numbers - all these could lead to a sense of foreboding, confusion, and despair. As if this monastic community has never faced challenging external forces before.
Exiled from Westminster, forced to leave Dieulouard our brethren must have wondered where God was in all the surrounding turmoil and what was he was up to? The brethren who returned to England to secure the faith during penal times needed grit and determination as can be seen in the example of Alban Roe. Then being expelled from France and returning to England to begin once again from scratch reminds us that it has been done before, there is no reason we cannot do it again. If we are open to the signs of these times and if we are able and willing to read these signs then we will be invited to have a similar courage as St Laurence, as our brethren before us. We cannot afford to become distracted in what will not bring life and in what will not secure a future.
Be Dependent on Jesus:
But St Laurence remined me that getting up and moving forward can only be done if we depend completely on Jesus. It is His work. What we do, is not the focus because we live always in response to the needs of the times, we live in. Why we entered this monastery is surely based on a conviction that monastic life – a life guided by the Gospel and Rule of St Benedict, a life lived in community under an Abbot – that this way of Christian living has a significant contribution to make not only to our lives, but to the lives of those whom we come into contact and the society as a whole.
Brethren, never let us doubt, never let us become distracted from the reason for our existence. Since my own election I have tried to remind us that we are involved in a cosmic battle. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians recalled us to the fact that we do not fight against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers of the underworld. Our mission is not to provide education, staff parishes or preach inspiring retreats, all noble apostolates. Our mission is to proclaim that Jesus is alive and that he wants a relationship with every man, woman, and child. Only in Him will our lives make sense. Only in Him will we find the purpose to live for, only in Him will we have the principles to live by, only in Him will we experience the power to live from and only in Him will we enjoy the communion with people to live with. Depend on Jesus and the blessings will flow. Our mission is bigger than we think.
Today we stand on the sacred ground, the ground provided by the example of St Laurence, our patron, who is present with us today. May this day not simply be a liturgical celebration but a release of grace, an anointing that allows us to be bold in faith and courageous in mission. A mission to evangelize the nation, revitalize the Church and transform society.
Abbot Robert Igo, OSB
Ampleforth Abbey