In his Ash Wednesday homily in the Abbey church, Abbot Robert spoke about four key words from the readings at Mass as indications of the Lenten journey ahead: the message from the prophet Isaiah “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”; the words from the Psalm, “Restore in me the joy of your salvation”; St Paul’s direct command, “Be reconciled to God”; and Jesus’ own words in the Gospel “Go into your room…and pray to your Father who is in secret”.
“Whatever you or I may think about Lent”, the Abbot said, “this season invites us to return to God so that we can be restored to our true identity, dignity and destiny. To obtain this we must go daily to the place of encounter and learn to be reconciled with God”.
Abbot Robert noted that the same point is made by Pope Leo XIV in the opening words of his Message for Lent 2026: “Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the centre of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life”. The starting point for Lent, then, is, the Abbot said, “to identify where you have drifted and what will empower you to return and experience renewal”.
Turning to the concrete things that people often choose to do in Lent, the Abbot said: “There are times when I wonder if God is really so concerned whether we have a chocolate biscuit or even one less potato? Is the eternal destiny of my soul going to be determined because I forgo sugar or milk in tea or coffee? Will I be less judgemental, lazy, angry or selfish simply because I choose not to drink alcohol or binge watch Netflix for the next five weeks? Now please do not misunderstand me, I am not for one moment diminishing or disparaging the things we choose. I am certainly not suggesting that fasting and denying ourselves in the spiritual journey is insignificant. Absolutely not, it is essential. If I am a disciple of Jesus and if I really desire to apprentice under Him then of course, I wish to adopt a lifestyle that brings me closer to Him. I will naturally seek to arrange my life around the practices that were central to Him. This is the only way we can be transformed – have a living faith”.
The important Lenten tradition of fasting “makes space for God, it focuses us on what we truly desire, and we face our attachments and addictions with honesty. As Pope Leo makes clear: ‘…fasting is a concrete way to prepare ourselves to receive the word of God. Abstaining from food is an ancient ascetic practice that is essential on the path of conversion’”.
In concluding his homily, Abbot Robert encouraged us to reflect: “What do I need to fast from so that I can more easily return to God and restore my relationship as a disciple? What would enable me to be more intentional and grow in holiness? What secret place do I need to go to so that I am able to encounter the one who transforms? How best can we listen attentively to His voice? What might we need to fast from so that we open our lives to long lasting change? How can we grow together in our encounter with His renovating love?”.
“This is not then, just another Lent”, the Abbot said. “This is a moment of grace. This is a time for us to return, to be restored, to be reconciled so that we witness to His lifegiving presence. This is a moment of holy decision”.
