Fr Richard's words for the Memorial of Saint Bede
Belief in Christ
The Venerable Bede is the only Englishman to have been
declared a Doctor of the Church. He is a significant figure – not only for the
Church but also for the history of our nation.
Much of what we know about our isles from 55 BC until 731AD comes
from Bede’s masterpiece – The Ecclesiastical History of the English People.
What’s more, the mere fact that we’re currently in the last week of Eastertide in
a year called 2020 AD is largely down to Bede. He helped establish the computus
– the system that calculates the date of Easter – and also the practice of
counting years back from the birth of Christ, where we refer to them as Anno
Domini, the Year of the Lord.
His involvement in the AD dating system brings us right back
to the very basic (and most important) characteristic of every saint and every
Christian – Bede believed in Christ, that He became Incarnate on this earth at
a particular place and time. So too, the disciples in today’s Gospel declare to
Jesus: “we believe that you came from God.”
One of the great things about preaching on the Feast of a
biblical commentator is that you can go and have a look at what they actually
said about the Gospel of the day. Jesus answered the disciples: “Do you believe
at last?” And Saint Bede comments: this “can be understood in two ways: either
as a reproach or an affirmation.” If a reproach – Jesus is telling them they
woke up late to belief. If an affirmation – Jesus is saying ‘what you believe is
true’. [Catena Aurea: John 29-33]
Bede’s commentary reminds us that although people may doubt
Jesus is God and be slow to follow Him – it’s never too late in life to convert
and believe in Him. Nevertheless, may we always strive, rather, to be affirmed
by Christ as a result of a strong and unwavering belief in Him. In his final
few moments, St Bede said aloud: “my soul longs to see Christ its king in all
his beauty.” May this be also our prayer and longing.
St Bede survived an outbreak of plague when he was a young
boy at Monkwearmouth–Jarrow Abbey. We ask for his intercession that we may all
be protected from the current virus outbreak we’re experiencing.
Venerable Bede – Pray for us.
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