Ampleforth Abbey Podcast

Home Retreat: 'The Message of Lourdes and the Jubilee' by Fr Oswald

https://www.ampleforthlourdes.org.uk/

How might we invigorate our sometimes detached assent to the faith we profess? Without expecting some kind of unrealistic quick-fix, surely a quest for inspiration in the great Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah would be a good place to seek new fire and fervour. With Lent and Passiontide not so far off, we have a rich seam to explore.

The longer we live in this world, we’re forced to ask the question,
‘What makes so many people so mean? What creates mean-spirited people’? What is behind that hate and what I just called mean-spiritedness?’ Maybe that’s really what we see more often than overt hatred.

As Advent begins, this retreat invites us to explore the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke, uncovering their rich connections to the Old Testament. From the annunciations to Mary, Joseph, and Zechariah to the visit of the wise men, these stories reveal Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s plan for His people.

We’ll reflect on themes of divine purpose, joy, and the biblical parallels that shape these narratives—such as Jesus as the new Moses, the significance of Joseph’s adoptive fatherhood, and the role of Mary’s Magnificat. Join us for a journey through Scripture that deepens our understanding of the Nativity’s profound meaning.

Each year, the Church ends the annual liturgical cycle with the Solemnity of Christ the King. In this Home Retreat, Fr Oswald reflects on the history and significance of this great feast, and what it might mean for each of us as we move as "Pilgrims of Hope" into the Great Jubilee Year of 2025.

This Home Retreat considers how by sharing in God’s mercy and love the believer may truly become like Him. 

Nothing, it is said, succeeds like success. Failing that, a euphoric  ‘feel-good factor’ is the salesman’s staunch friend in loosening purse-strings and skewing judgement. The theological virtue of hope, however, cannot be confused with mere human optimism. What might the Word of God offer us to help distinguish between these two ‘non-siblings?’

The commemoration of All Souls provides a moment to reflect on how we die. Is death something that just happens to us, the thief in the night?

Or is the great transition which we learn how to embrace, the welcome guest?