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In our Scriptures today, we are reminded that God wants to save all of mankind. In the message from the prophet Isaiah, we hear him tell the Jewish people that ‘foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord, to love his name and be his servants, …..will be brought to God’s holy mountain’. St Paul in his letter to the Romans gives further emphasis to this message, by saying that he has been sent to spread the Good News to the pagans; those outside of the Jewish faith; his hope was that when the Jewish people saw these new converts to God, they would be ‘envious’ and accept Christ’s message too.

In the Gospel we hear Jesus in an encounter with a Canaanite woman, Jesus insults her ethnicity by comparing her to a dog. The woman is so desperate for her daughter to be cured that she is unphased by the insult and instead of sniping back at Jesus, she uses the insult to demonstrate her faith and confidence in Jesus.

Last week we were encouraged to step out of the boat and walk towards Jesus, this week we hear of this woman, who was not called forward by Jesus, but who sought him out. In our lives, we sometimes encounter people who are seeking Jesus. Think of the friends and relatives we know who seek us out asking for prayers. How do we respond? How can we help bring these people to the Lord? By all means we must pray, but we also need to keep in touch with them and ask about any progress, reminding them we are still praying. These are the scraps mentioned in the Gospel; which may not mean much to us; but can make an incredible difference to those who have asked for prayer.

Every single person that approaches us, is not approaching us as individuals, they are approaching the Body of Christ, we just happen to be the part of His Body, who they have approached. What sort of welcome do they receive? As Christians we are called to welcome the stranger, the poor, the widow, the orphan, the unemployed, the migrant, the refugee, the drug addict, the alcoholic, the abused, the prisoner. We are not to judge them, that is not why we are here. Our vocation as Christians is to welcome them and to love them. By loving those in need we deepen our faith, because we are not just representing the Body of Christ, but we are the Body of Christ.

Any of us who have ever had to ask for help knows how difficult it can be to get over our own pride and actually admit that we need someone else to help us. Think how much that Canaanite woman was prepared to do to get the help for her daughter. She approached a Jewish teacher, not knowing how she would be received. She was prepared to make a scene and risked being judged and shunned by her own people.

The next time anyone asks us for help, please remember that woman. Remember how much she risked and remember how her faith was rewarded. The humility of this woman, prepared to be called a dog and risk ridicule in order to save the daughter she loved.

In our world today there are extraordinary examples of faith happening on a daily basis. This week we heard about the attacks on churches in Pakistan by extremists. Our Christian brothers and sisters are struggling in other parts of the world too; we need to remember them in prayer and ask our government to speak out against these atrocities. As Christians we never know how we would react if our faith is put to that sort of test. We pray not to be tested but also if we are ever tested to give us the courage to withstand any test that comes our way.

This week I would like to encourage us all to be more aware of when someone needs our help. Do we wait to be asked or do we offer help? Are we prepared to risk rejection when we offer help? Are we prepared to risk rejection when we need help? The Canaanite woman risked much when she asked for help, the Christians in Pakistan risk their lives daily when they declare they are Christians, what are we prepared to risk for our faith?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 543-544: Kingdom first to Israel, now for all who believe
CCC 674: Christ’s coming hope of Israel; their final acceptance of Messiah
CCC 2610: power of invocation with sincere faith
CCC 831, 849: the catholicity of the Church

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.

I start this week with a short story….

He was a very simple old sailor, the skipper of the small boat that was taking them to the Shetlands, and they were a young, lively party; actors and actresses from London on tour, going to do a night or two on the Islands. They were not above ‘taking the mickey’ a bit, and they thought his way of saying grace before meals a bit quaint and old fashioned. However, before long a storm blew up, a really severe north-easter, and as the little ship began to pitch more and more violently, morale among the visitors got lower and lower.

A small deputation went up to ask the Captain’s opinion. ‘Well,’ he said ‘maybe we’ll get through, and maybe we won’t. I never remember such a storm.’ The news was greeted with dismay down below, and finally they sent someone else up to the bridge to ask whether the Captain would be so good as to come and say a prayer with his terrified passengers. His reply was simple; ‘I say my prayers when it’s calm; and when it’s rough, I attend to my ship.’ Anon¹

How close to that short tale is our prayer life? Do we have a healthy prayer life when things are calm? Or do we wait until the water starts to engulf us like Peter to cry out “Lord! Save me!”

There has been a lot of talk in my house recently about when would be the right time for me to retire from my job. I’m pretty keen to do so sooner rather than later, whereas, Pam, being a more careful steward than I am, is concerned that we may not have enough saved yet to retire. During one of these discussions, Pam asked me if I had prayed about this, and I had to confess that I had not. I had been trying to make my plans without taking my hopes to God in prayer. This could have been disastrous, much the same as if St Peter had gotten out of the boat without being instructed by Jesus. I have now started taking these thoughts into my prayer life and will continue to.

Today’s readings show God’s hand in the natural world. We have talk of mighty winds, earthquakes, gentle breezes, storms and headwinds. Through it all is the guiding hand of God and when the boat the disciples were travelling on was struggling, Jesus marched across the water to reach them. The world today is a similar place, our country seems to be coming more secular by the week, our society seems focused on killing off religion, and religious ideas, ending traditional marriage, and especially, making a mockery of Christian teaching.² We even have some within the Church diluting the faith, chipping away at sound teaching to try and make it fit their agendas. Looking at mainstream media we would hardly know that there were 1,500,000 people at a Mass last weekend when the pope went to Lisbon to celebrate World Youth Day.

St Peter walking on water towards Jesus is proof that when we have true faith in Jesus then we can do anything, but first of all we have to get out of the boat; move out of our comfort zone and risk following Jesus. This requires courage and also others to help keep us afloat at times; none of us can do this all by ourself; this is why we come together as a Community, so that we can help lift one another up when required and allow others to lift us when required.

We have experienced a very wet few weeks, St Bede’s was again affected by flood water last weekend. Today’s Scripture readings are a reminder that God is present in the gentlest of breezes and he can calm the storms of our life. Our goal is to maintain our communication with God in the calm times so that when the storms hit us, He recognises our voice when we cry out ‘Lord! Save me!’ if the waves become too much for us to bear.

How is God calling you this week? Which boat are you being asked to step out of in faith?

Are you content to allow the noise from the forces of life to surround you or are you like Elijah, waiting for the sound of the gentle breeze to announce God’s presence?

Do you allow quiet spells in your day to hear God calling? If so, do you have the courage to respond?

Finally, thinking back to the story I started with are we more like the skipper who prays in the calm times, ignoring the mickey taking so that when a crisis hits, we are well equipped? Or are we like the actors and actresses, who find it amusing when others pray in calm times, but as soon as a crisis hits look around for someone else to do their bidding to the Lord?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 164: faith experiences testing
CCC 272-274: only faith can follow mysterious ways of providence
CCC 671-672: in difficult times, cultivate trust that all is subject to Christ
CCC 56-64, 121-122, 218-219: history of covenants; God’s love for Israel
CCC 839-840: the Church’s relationship to the Jewish people

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• Gabriel and Alice who are being Baptised at Holy Ghost on Saturday 12^th August.

1 Anon, taken from Windows on Matthew [Kevin Mayhew Ltd, Stowmarket, Suffolk, 1998]111.

2 Rev Francis O’Sullivan, I am With You [Two in One Flesh, Caterham, 2013]100.

It is estimated that 500,000 young people from around the world are currently in Lisbon to celebrate World Youth Day. I have never been to this event, but I have found that at other gatherings which I have attended like Celebrate or Marriage Encounter Conventions; the most powerful part, is when we hear personal testimonies from people about how they have encountered Christ.

In the Scripture readings today, we have the Gospel from St Matthew telling us about what happened on the high mountain when Jesus was transfigured, and we have the personal testimony of Peter who was present when this happened. Peter saw Christ’s majesty and heard God’s voice declare the Son of Man was also the Son of God. There is a great description in one of the commentaries which I read to prepare for this reflection which I’d like to quote in full.

“In Israelite tradition, certain characteristics belong to God alone. As the first reading and psalm recount, God has power over clouds, and exhibits sun-like radiance. The first reading speaks of other divine characteristics – authority, glory and kingship – that God has shared with a mysterious being called ‘one like a Son of man [Dn 7:13].

Jesus’ transfiguration reveals to Peter, James and John that he is that being. A cloud surrounds him, his face and clothing glow, and God reveals a Father’s love. Insights once limited to mystics and prophets now belong to fishermen who can behold such things without fear.”

Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons and Weekdays 2023: The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, [Liturgy Training Publications, Chicago, Illinois,2022]292.

The great news for us is that we can also behold that information without fear, and we are all beloved children of God if we listen to Him. God was not just announcing that Jesus was his Son. God told us to listen to him.

The Transfiguration took place to strengthen the disciples for what Jesus had already foretold. He had told them about his Passion, and this must have frightened them. This teacher who they had given everything up to follow; was telling them that he was going to be killed by the people he had come to save. They must have been concerned and maybe even terrified; about what that would mean for them. The Transfiguration allowed three of the disciples to see a glimpse of who Jesus really was.

The significance of Moses and Elijah being present too would not have been lost on them; Moses who was charged with bringing the Jewish people out from slavery in Egypt and who gave them God’s laws to live by; alongside Elijah who was one of the greatest prophets and miracle workers of the Jewish people. For those three disciples this would have been confirmation that Jesus was truly their Messiah; the one promised to save the Jewish people.

As we know, when some of the Jewish people rejected Jesus, instead of God punishing all of mankind, He generously opened the promise up to all who would believe in Jesus as the Son of God. All of us, as followers of Christ, became children of God through our baptism. The catechism quotes St Thomas Aquinas as writing “Jesus’ baptism proclaimed, ‘the mystery of the first regeneration,’ namely our Baptism; the Transfiguration ‘is the sacrament of the second generation’: our own Resurrection” [CCC556].

The Transfiguration for us as Catholics is both a confirmation and a promise. The eyewitness testimony of Peter, James and John is confirmation that God allowed Jesus to be seen in His glory that day on the mountain. The promise is that if we listen to Jesus and follow his laws then we will see the Risen Lord at our resurrection.

In what areas of my life do I need to listen better to Jesus?

I think that if I can listen more during my prayer time, then I can get closer to Jesus. I also need to listen when things irritate me and not respond immediately; allowing myself to calm down before responding. This would allow me to be more at peace with my decisions and allow the Holy Spirit to guide my response.

Do I allow Jesus to transform my life?

If I am really honest with myself, I know that I compartmentalise my life at times. Putting things into their own boxes and often not allowing my faith to influence the parts I see as not being part of my faith. There is maybe a work section, a family section, a football section. I need to allow my faith to transform me from this compartmentalised view of life into a lived reality where it influences everything I do and say.

If I look back at myself from 10 or 15 years ago, I can see how Jesus has transformed my life from those days. 15 years ago, I was still fighting the call to the Diaconate and the thought of standing up and preaching a Homily, would have made me feel sick and want to run away. Now through the formation I have received and continue to receive I am able to prepare a Homily and read it aloud. The next stage for me will be trusting my memory enough to deliver it without reading it verbatim.

What about you?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Transfiguration

CCC 554-556: A foretaste of the Kingdom: The Transfiguration

CCC 568: Christ’s Transfiguration
CCC 152, 240, 647-8 & 651: Revelation of the Son

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• All of those travelling to and from Lisbon for the World Youth Day activities.

In the first reading King Solomon sets a great example for us. When asked by God what he would like, he chose “a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil”. 

This pleased God as he hadn’t asked for long life, or wealth nor for the destruction of his enemies. 

If only the leaders in our world to be granted that same wisdom that there would be no need for wars, enough food for everyone and the planet would be well managed.

In our second reading, Paul reminds his readers that God looks after those who love him, and treats them as brothers and sisters of Christ, able to share in Christ’s glory. In fact they are moulded into the image of Jesus and become like Christ by obeying his commandments to love one another as Christ love the world. 

This week I have been on holiday in Scotland, enjoying the beautiful countryside we have passed through and enjoyed long walks by different shores. I can imagine some of the images Jesus described in today’s gospel some of the fields we have passed have have a beauty, some would describe as treasure. Also we have spent time in fishing villages where the fishermen will undoubtedly be sorting out what is good enough to go to market and throw away the ones which are not. 

Today’s gospel also resonates for me with one of the latest stops. The National Shrine to Our Lady at Carfin, started off as an empty field. The local parish priest wanted to build a replica of the Lourdes Grotto. He asked local builders and miners who were on strike to help, recognising that they would need a sense of purpose to minimise the effects of unemployment. Within two years, this empty field became a place of pilgrimage, where thousands of people at a time could find a treasure of tranquility, which can only be found when we are close to God. Last year the Shrine celebrated its centenary and has continued to grow into a place where the pilgrims can visit pre-remember, loved ones.

Today Jesus asks us to consider what do we see as a treasure? If we were to list the top five most valuable things in our life where would our Faith be?

There are many Saints of God before us who have discovered their faith is like the pearl of great value in the Gospel, they’ve given everything to attain their goal of reaching God’s Kingdom, what are we prepared to give up? 

Further Reading

https://www.carfingrotto.org/history

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 407: cannot ignore wound of sin in discerning human situation
CCC 1777-1785: moral decision making in rapport with God’s will
CCC 1786-1789: seeking will of God in divine law in difficult circumstances
CCC 1038-1041: separation of good and evil at Judgment
CCC 1037: God predestines no one to hell

Please keep in your prayers 

Those who are homeless, those who are sick, or grieving.

The young people attending World Youth Day in Lisbon

Those working to allieviate poverty.

The first reading today has a familiarity about it. Many of the aspects of it are in a prayer we use every day. The words Jesus taught us when He told us to call God Our Father. There is an acknowledgement that there are no other gods like Him, as Our Father is in heaven. It mentions a god who cares for everything, a god whose sovereignty is secure and whose forgiveness is unquestionable, governing us with leniency. Setting an example for us to be lenient and kindly towards our fellow men and that by forgiving others; we can approach God our merciful Father, for forgiveness.

The psalm continues the message ‘O Lord, you are good and forgiving’, the words used are beautiful as we come close to repeating the sentiment in the Penitential Act from earlier in the Mass as we ask God, who is full of compassion and mercy to ‘take pity on me.’

There is a crucial message in the second reading, which again comes from the letter of St Paul to the Romans. St Paul’s message is that we cannot do things solely under our own power; we need the help of God through the gifts we receive from the Holy Spirit. The example given by St Paul is on what to say in prayer, recognising that the words which we use are insufficient to express what God means to us.

In last week’s Gospel we heard St Matthew say that Jesus taught in parables, and we had the Parable of the Sower. This week in a continuation of the same Gospel we hear three parables in quick succession. The first one emphasises again that God does things differently to how man would do things. People will often question the existence of God by saying ‘if there is a God who is good, why does He let so many evil things happen?’

One answer to this is in the parable of the wheat and the darnel. While God does not want any of His children to suffer, sometimes we can get caught up in the wrong place or be with the wrong people; who have the wrong motivation; taking us away from God. Man’s way would perhaps be to go in and try to root out all of the troublemakers or evil ones as soon as they notice there is trouble. Man’s way risks the good becoming collateral damage. God waits until the time is right as only He knows the big picture.

What is represented by the darnel in our lives?

Darnel looks like wheat; it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference until closer to the harvest time.

Are there things in our lives that we convince ourselves are okay, when we know deep down that they are not?

Are there things which we see other people do and criticise, knowing that we do similar things ourselves?

I know that when I am dieting and doing well on it, I can become very judgemental when I see people overeat or not exercise; yet time after time I find myself back in that same position.

We then have the parable of the mustard seed. Jesus tells the people that the kingdom of heaven starts very small and grows into something which is great. Our faith starts off just like that small seed; very small; but when we allow God and those who follow His path to water it and nurture it; then it becomes something so great that we can draw others in. Just like the birds in the parable who took shelter in the mustard tree branches. If other people see our good works and how happy our faith makes us then they will have a desire to be like us.

If we think about how the Church started with Jesus selecting twelve men and how the Holy Spirit has worked; allowing it to grow and continues to grow today. When we make ourselves small God does great things in us, allowing us to grow in our faith and building up His Kingdom.

Likewise in the parable of the yeast, we hear how the flour is changed by the introduction of the yeast; the flour is transformed. If we see ourselves like the flour and the yeast is the grace of God; we can experience a real transformation. The grace of God works in silence, just like the yeast changes the flour silently and works its way through the flour; so does the grace of God work in us; if we allow it. To allow the grace of God to work in us we need to be prepared to be changed; turning away from bad habits, adopting and developing good habits, getting to know Jesus better through the Scriptures; allowing God to use us to help other people and being prepared to accept help ourselves when we need it.

Jesus spoke to the people using parables, this allowed him to use familiar everyday scenes to teach the masses, the Word of God. Today, we as missionary disciples of Jesus [through our baptism] are called to use whatever means we have, to continue that work.

Who does God have in our heart, for us to reach out to?

Ask God in your prayer time, who does He need you to reach out to today. If someone comes to mind, ask God how you should do this; remember this is not to be done under our own power, God wants to use us and will empower us to do His will.

We’ve already heard a lot in the readings today about life and growth. Perhaps it’s no coincidence then, that today, the church celebrates Grandparents and the elderly. As they were given life from their parents, so too they have gone on to see their own lineage be produced. As a grandfather, I experience incredible joy spending time with my grandchildren.

Part of my role is to pass on my faith to them, in the hope that the seeds I plant one day may resemble that mustard tree. I’m under no illusion that this will be easy; the world will play its part in trying to take them from God’s path. Therefore, I pray today for all Grandparents; that they will be close to their grandchildren and that they will use their influence in the most positive way, to model what ‘missionary disciples’ should look like.

In his message for this day, Pope Francis links this day being so close to World Youth Day with Mary’s visit to Elizabeth when she heard news of both of their pregnancies. Pope Francis encourages all of those attending World Youth Day to visit their grandparents or someone elderly before they set off on their journey, to promise to pray for that person while at the Youth Day events and in turn for the older person to pray for their pilgrimage to be protected.

God’s message today is that He needs us to sow seeds, He wants us to be patient, things will happen in His time. With God’s help, faith in Him will transform us and draw others to Him. God will spread His culture throughout everyone He touches because God does things His way. As we make ourselves smaller God makes things greater.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 543-550: the Kingdom of God
CCC 309-314: God’s goodness and the scandal of evil
CCC 825, 827: weeds and seed of Gospel in everyone and in the Church
CCC 1425-1429: need for ongoing conversion
CCC 2630: prayer of petition voiced profoundly by the Holy Spirit

Third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, 2023: “His mercy is from age to age” (Lk 1:50) | Francis (vatican.va)

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• David who is being ordained to the Sacred priesthood on 22^nd July.
• Rudi, Casey-James, Erin and Theodore who are being baptised at St Bede’s this Sunday.

There is a TV programme called ‘Your home, made Perfect’, which has become our guilty pleasure again recently. The basis of the programme is that a homeowner wants to make changes to their home, and they don’t really know what they want or what their money can buy. The show brings the homeowners together with 2 architects who listen to their needs, learn a little about their lifestyle and then each of the designers make a proposal using virtual reality devices so that the homeowners can see the designer’s vision for their home as if they were actually standing in their home. The homeowner then chooses one of the designs and changes virtual reality into actual reality.

We enjoy seeing the visions being proposed and the reactions of the homeowners when they see what is possible and, once they have chosen a design, we enjoy seeing the architect’s reaction to how their vision transforms the home. It is a feel-good programme. The programme would not have the same impact without the virtual reality technology. Imagine if this were thirty years ago and an architect trying to describe their vision using sketches and architectural drawings or models; fascinating stuff for the architect and maybe the homeowner, but pretty dull watching for any viewers.

In today’s Gospel we hear the disciples ask Jesus why He teaches in parables? Jesus’ reply is that the people ‘look without hearing and listen without hearing or understanding’. Jesus therefore tries to paint a picture for the people which they can understand or relate to. The parable chosen for today’s Gospel is the Parable of the Sower, Jesus uses this to describe how important it is to listen and absorb the Word of God so that we understand how important this is.

The Word of God is about our eternal future, it is everything. When we listen to the Word of God at Mass each Sunday, we need to give it our full attention. Ideally, we should have read it before hand, and found time to contemplate what this means for us. When Jesus said they look without seeing and listen without hearing it is like some people looking at an architect’s drawing and failing to understand the vision of the architect. Modern technology, like the parables in Jesus’ time creates a clearer picture for those to whom the message is meant.

How do I create fertile soil in my heart and my mind to listen to the Word of God?

For me, I need to clear away any distractions, I need to live in the present moment; listening and experiencing the reading for what it is. This is not just any old words put together by man to make a nice story to listen to. This is the Word of God, God speaking to us; God speaking to me. I need to work hard to clear away the distractions, especially when I am serving as a deacon. When on the Sanctuary I can get caught up with worrying if everything is in place for the rest of the Mass, or starting to think about the Gospel reading I am about to proclaim or if I have remembered to put my Homily on the lectern. All of which takes me away from being in the present and hearing what God is sharing with me. I need to put all of these concerns to the back of my mind and just listen. I try to do this by getting to church early and checking that all of the things which can distract me are done. Preparing for the Mass is also preparing myself to be rich soil; ready to receive the seeds which will grow my faith.

How do I avoid being in the rocky patches or close to the edge of the path?

By being in community with our brothers and sisters, praying several times a day, finding ways to stay close to God in my daily life. By going to confession; not allowing the accuser to nip away at our conscience, spending time in front of the Blessed Sacrament, by receiving the Eucharist frequently. All of these bring us graces, sustaining and growing our faith.

Jesus doesn’t deal with virtual reality. Before the beginning of time Jesus as the Word of God made everything real. Everything we can see or touch or taste or hear or smell, Jesus made them all and He made us. The reality of our lives is that Jesus loves us and wants us. He also wants us to love one another and respect every other thing which He created.

This is the time of year when traditionally schools would be issuing report cards; allowing parents to see how their children are progressing at school. If we were marking our faith journey today, what mark would we give ourselves? Are we excelling; on the fast track to heaven? I know I am not in this category. Are we too easily distracted? Are we in the category of must try harder? Wherever we see ourselves on this journey, we are called to help those around us who are struggling.

This is not a competition to be top of the class. There are many rooms in our Father’s house and we have a duty to try and fill them all. We cannot get to heaven at someone else’s expense because Jesus has already paid the price and he asks us to love one another; to serve one another using Him as our example. Today Jesus is pleading with us to not allow ourselves to be caught up in the worries of the world or lured by its riches. He wants us to be the rich soil, not allow trials to rock our faith. Jesus wants us to bear fruit and produce the harvest He expects of us. He expects us to continue sowing seeds in others so that they may bear fruit too. That is the only way to have life and have life to the full.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 546: Christ teaches through parables
CCC 1703-1709: capacity to know and correspond to the voice of God
CCC 2006-2011: God associates man in working of grace
CCC 1046-1047: creation part of the new universe
CCC 2707: the value of meditation

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• David who is preparing for priestly ordination on 22^nd July.
• The 9 families completing Baptism Preparation on Sunday 16^th July.

Do you ever look at what needs to be done and think, I really don’t know how I am going to get through all of this? This was one of those weeks for me. So, I have had to dig deep and pray that I manage to get the important things done; helping me to prioritise and maximise the time I have had available. It is at times like this that we need to turn over our tasks and our burdens to Jesus; in the knowledge that He will help us.

Our first reading, from the prophet Zechariah, gives us a description we are very familiar with. We have a king riding in triumph and humbly on a donkey. A great paradox, to be in triumph and humble at the same time; many of our sports stars could do well to learn from this. A donkey, a beast of burden is banishing the horses and chariots which were traditionally used for war; abolishing weapons proclaiming peace for all.

The psalm continues the theme, the Lord will support all who fall and raise all those who are bowed down. This is not a king who crushes or lords it over his subjects; this is a king who wants to elevate the meek and bring everyone hope.

In the second reading we are reminded by St Paul, that we are to think of spiritual things and how we can live a spiritual life. Like some other parishioners I have been on the Life in the Spirit course which is being run in the diocese and this has been giving me a weekly and daily reminder of how God has sent his Holy Spirit to accompany us on our journey. We are called to be filled with as much of the Holy Spirit as we can and sharing it with those we meet, one analogy given was to think about a sponge soaking up water until it is totally saturated as you go to move it, the water starts to leak out of it. This is just like us; we need to continually find ways of soaking up the Holy Spirit because we leak; when we sin, when we turn away from those who need our help, when we choose ways to live outside of Christ’s teachings.

St Paul encourages us to live our lives in a spiritual way; putting other first before our own needs, keeping Christ at the centre of everything we do. We will all have the opportunity to learn more about how the Holy Spirit wants to use us in the Called and Gifted day; which takes place at St Bede’s on 21^st October, please put this date into your calendar as it would be brilliant to experience this day with you.

In the Gospel we hear that Jesus tell us that this is not complicated, because God chose to reveal ‘these things to mere children’ the original Hebrew word was ‘nepioi’ which means ‘infants’ or ‘unlearned’. This is another paradox, because most human cultures have the learned discovering, interpreting and discussing important things; but yet again we hear that God does things differently to man. This mighty king who entered the world as a baby in a stable, who rode humbly and triumphantly on a donkey into the Holy City, who allowed himself to die so that we might live; broke all conventions and defied all human wisdom. Man could only think that the Messiah would restore the Chosen people by giving them back their city; God’s plans were not about bolstering a people here on earth. God’s plan was much more far reaching. God’s plan was to conquer death so that all those who believe can live forever.

So when worldly things start to get the better of us, Jesus encourages us to come to him; strap ourselves onto his yoke [which has space for Jesus and us] and He will carry our burden as we share the load. Some of the times when I have felt overburdened and have asked for help; I have found that meetings get cancelled, opening up gaps to allow me to complete most of the tasks I needed to do, removing some of the pressure I have felt.

This Sunday is Sea Sunday, a day when we are asked to reflect and pray for those who earn their living on the sea.

For seafarers, life at sea can be extremely challenging. They are often far from their families and loved ones for long periods of time, working long hours, and facing the threats of accidents, piracy, and harsh weather conditions. And when they come into port in a foreign land, they know no one.

Amid these challenges, Stella Maris provides a beacon of hope and support to seafarers. Its chaplains and volunteers offer the hand of friendship and listen to the concerns of the seafarers they meet. They help seafarers to contact their families back home, take them to Mass, or arrange for a priest to come on board, provide transport to local shops, and help to resolve problems of missing pay or sub-standard conditions.

Just as Jesus offers rest to those who are burdened and weary, Stella Maris offers refuge and support to seafarers who are facing the challenges of life at sea. Its chaplains and volunteers are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world, bringing comfort to seafarers.

Being an island nation, a large proportion of what we buy will have reached us by sea. Today, being Sea Sunday, is a chance for us to recognise the sacrifices these sea farers make and to support the work of Stella Maris, which some may remember being called Apostleship of the Sea. Please support the special collection this weekend as best you can and also pray for all who work on the sea and those who support those who work on the sea. Touching back to the 1^st reading it reminds us that ‘His empire shall stretch from sea to sea’, the men and women who work at sea are part of that empire, in fact they unite the lands at either end of the seas. They deserve our help and our prayers.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 514-521: knowledge of mysteries of Christ, communion in his mysteries
CCC 238-242: the Father is revealed by the Son
CCC 989-990: the resurrection of the body.

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The success of the Diocesan Life in the Spirit programme which is running online on Thursdays.
• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• Francisco and Tony who were ordained to the Diaconate on 8^th July 2023 and Deacon David who is preparing for priestly ordination on 22^nd July.
• All those employed and who volunteer for Stella Maris.
• The 9 families starting Baptism Preparation on Sunday 9^th July.

I was brought up in a Council Estate in Glasgow, which had housing for 60,000 people and was originally built with no shopping centre; it was reputedly the largest housing estate in Europe. The area had 6 Catholic primary schools, 1 Catholic Secondary school and three Catholic Churches; St Bartholomew’s, where my parents were married, St Martin’s and St Margaret Mary’s, where I made my First Communion and Confirmation, and I was an Altar Boy for around 8 years.

In those days, there were lots of priests and they used to visit our home’s frequently, and I remember one priest telling the story of a family where the lady of the house always put out chocolate biscuits when she served him a cup of tea.

On one visit though, the chocolate biscuits were replaced with plain biscuits and an explanation from the lady. She told the priest she only ever bought chocolate biscuits when she knew a priest was coming and, on this occasion, she had gone shopping a couple of days earlier and knowing that she would have to hide the biscuits from her children, or they may have ‘disappeared’ before the priest arrived. She chose a ‘safe place’ and left them there. It was only when she went to put something in the oven, after allowing it to pre-heat that she remembered the safe place was not as safe as she originally had thought.

Our scripture readings today speak about hospitality. In the first reading we hear of the lady who recognised Elisha as a holy man of God and insisted on initially serving him a meal when he passed which evolved into creating an upper room for him to rest on his journeys. Elisha was struck by the generosity of her hospitality so much, that he asked the Lord to grant her a son. This is similar to books of the Bible where we think of Sarah giving birth to Isaac and Elizabeth giving birth to John the Baptist; whilst both are in the elder years. Reminding us again that what seems impossible to man is possible by the will of God.

We are reminded of another type of hospitality in the second reading; where Jesus took upon himself the sins of the whole of mankind so that He could offer us all eternal hospitality with Him in heaven. St Paul tells us that through our baptism we go down into the grave with Jesus and rise up again with Him to live a new life. The word Baptism comes from the ancient Greek word ‘baptizo’ which means to dip or submerge. We remember that early Christians were fully submerged; usually as adults and they would have experienced going down into the water and rising up out of the water; to live their new life in Christ. This is a rebirth. At our baptism we become adopted children of God [chosen] and we should celebrate this.

In the Gospel, St Matthew recalls the words of Jesus; that we are to put our relationship with Jesus first; even before the relationship we have with our own family. It is through the love we have for Christ that the love we have for our family flourishes. It is the love we have for Christ that allows us to put the needs of others before our own needs. Jesus goes on to insist that we will be rewarded for welcoming people of faith and the reward will be as if we have welcomed Jesus Himself.

Last week I asked us all to think about what we are most afraid of and to reflect on that fear in prayer. I wonder if you managed or remembered to do so. If you did, great, but if not, it’s not too late to do so.

This week, I’d like us all to think about our journey in faith. Make some time to write down what you can remember and put it somewhere safe, only not in the oven. By recalling our own personal journey and going back to it periodically to update it or refresh it we will be ready if anyone ever asks us why we believe in God or why we are a Christian? Sharing our own experience [or as it is often referred to as our testimony] is really powerful. Given that it is our own personal experience, it is difficult to dispute.

So how will you prepare yourself to respond to those who are seeking God and trying to understand who He is and what He has done for you?

Jesus is telling us today, that He wants us to be in relationship with Him. He doesn’t want the time that is left over when we have done everything else, we want to do. Jesus wants the best of us. Jesus also emphasises that we are to welcome people and show them hospitality; this is crucial whether the visitor is ‘a prophet, a holy man’ or someone who does not know God. Through our hospitality we honour our visitor; if they are people of God then we welcome the one who sent them. If they are still to find God then their first experience of God’s love comes from us, because God has CHOSEN us to be part of their journey towards Him.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2232-2233: to follow Christ is first vocation of Christian
CCC 537, 628, 790, 1213, 1226-1228, 1694: baptism, to die to self, to live for Christ
CCC 1987: grace justifies through faith and baptism.

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The success of the Diocesan Life in the Spirit programme which is running online on Thursdays.
• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• Those preparing to be ordained to the priesthood or diaconate.
• Those whose Charism is hospitality, that they never feel discouraged.

The words of Jesus at the end of today’s Gospel reading are meant to inspire us and to instil fear in us at the same time. Listen/Read again to the words:

So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’

Jesus is saying that this is all or nothing. Whenever we are put to the test, whenever we are persecuted, we are to hold firm; trust in the one who calls us by our name; the same one in whose name we are baptised.

In this country, we have far more freedom to practice our faith than in many other places around the world. But don’t be lulled into a false sense of security, our faith is under attack from wolves in sheep’s clothing. Many of our beliefs are being undermined and at the same time other faiths are being protected. People who criticise other faiths are often called Islamophobic or antisemitic, there does not appear to be a similar word in common usage for the criticism or discrimination of Christians.

In the first reading we hear how Jeremiah lost his friends when he started working for the Lord. He believes his friends are just waiting for the opportune moment to catch him out and take out some sort of revenge on him. But Jeremiah has the Lord at his side, he has trusted in the Lord and is confident that God will not abandon him if he is ever in need.

In the second reading St Paul emphasises that sin entered the world through Adam and that sin has been conquered by the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We, as followers of Christ have to follow His teachings, to be able to be like Him; and by doing so, obtain eternal life with Him.

The Gospel we hear today is Jesus finishing off his message to the Apostles, reminding them, and us, that He will be with them [and us]. We are never to shy away from sharing our faith, we are to put our faith into action, let others see Jesus through what we do and what we say. What we do, shows that we love and what we say tells people why we love. We are being asked to give witness to our faith in our daily life. We should ask ourselves –

Am I happy with how I bear witness to my faith in my daily life? How can I improve how I give witness?

For me, there are some aspects of my daily life, where I am happy, but I know that I can do so much more. I manage to visit some of the housebound people in our parish, but could I reach more people if I spent less time on my Ipad?

Am I ever like Jeremiah, worrying about what other people think or say about me?

This is a thing which has held me back for a long time. I would worry about what people thought I was doing, what they thought about any motive I might have. More so, like Jeremiah I would worry that they were just waiting for me to make a mistake and home in on it. At times this has left me paralysed with fear of what if!

Jesus is asking us to trust in Him, we are asked not to worry about any form of persecution, if we are doing our best for Him then He will look after us. If we are put on trial for our Christian faith then He will be in the dock with us, He will never leave us alone. Just like we are never to deny Him.

When we worry about what other people are thinking or saying about us, is this because we form opinions of other people? Are we judging them in a way that we do not wish to be judged ourselves? One of the most common phrases in Scriptures is ‘Do not be afraid’. Jesus uses it three times in the Gospel we hear today. He tells us not to be afraid, for He will reveal all. He tells us not to be afraid of those who can kill the body, but that ‘we should fear the one who can destroy both our body and soul in hell.’ Finally, He tells usthere is no need to be afraid because He values us.

This week, I would like to encourage us all to ask ourselves, ‘what am I most afraid of? Then when we have identified that fear, pray to Jesus and ask for His help in conquering it. Remember He is with us, He is ready to help us, we only have to ask.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 852: the Spirit of Christ sustains the Christian mission
CCC 905: evangelizing by the example of life
CCC 1808, 1816: courageous witness of faith overcomes fear and death
CCC 2471-2474: bear witness to the truth
CCC 359, 402-411, 615: Adam, Original Sin, Christ the New Adam

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The success of the Diocesan Life in the Spirit programme which is running online on Thursdays.
• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• Those preparing to be ordained to the priesthood or diaconate.
• The six children being baptised in St Bede’s this Sunday.

Anyone who has seen the news this week, must have been struck by the devastation in the Mediterranean Sea, where so many people; many of them women and children; being lost as they desperately sought a new life. We do not know the reason why they sought a new life in another land, but we do know the motivation of those who allowed so many to go onto a boat with inadequate facilities; their motivation was money. In their desperation to make money, they forgot to be human and treated fellow human beings as cargo, or a commodity. Their attitude bears a close relationship to that of the slave traders from centuries ago squeezing in as many bodies as they could to enhance their profit. Many of the times previously these dealers in human life may have managed to get their cargo safely across the sea, this time, however, we have a disaster of Biblical proportion.

When times are hard people do desperate things. In the Old Testament the Israelites moved to Egypt when famine struck, they settled there and multiplied, the local rulers in fear enslaved these people, forcing them to work long hours doing dangerous work. These people, who had moved away from the Lord, cried out for help; God heard them and sent Moses to set them free.

Many centuries later, the descendants of those same people found themselves enslaved again, this time in their own land. The Romans had invaded and imposed their will on the Jewish people. This led to an increase in poverty and the problems associated with poverty – illness, malnutrition, crime, fear and untimely death. This time God sent His Son to rescue the Jewish people. But not all of them listened. In our Gospel today we hear about a few of those who did listen. Jesus taught people to be compassionate, Jesus led by example, He even asked for forgiveness to those who were executing Him.

There have been times in my life when I have felt distant from God, times when I didn’t come to Church or even pray. But God kept calling me back, either through the people I met, or through my wife and children, God did not give up on me. On those returns when I went to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I was welcomed back, never condemned. During this week ahead, if you feel that God is not close to you, I’d like you to think again. God is always close in our relationship. Ask yourself, am I close to God?

Our Scriptures today, remind us that God is always there. He rescued the Israelites from slavery and then sent His Son to recue their descendants, those who listened were saved, and sent out to widen the Chosen people to the whole world. Those original Apostles sent out as shepherds to the world to guide and teach have their own descendants now. It is not by their blood and DNA that they can trace these descendants. Their descendants are the bishops of the Catholic Church today, and the blood they demonstrate their descendance by, is the Blood of Jesus Christ. The bishops of today still teach the Good News, they are our Spiritual fathers as successors to the Apostles.

Both of those chosen by God to rescue the Israelites in our Scriptures today were threatened with death when they were babies. Under the Pharaohs rules, male children were to be killed, but Moses’ mother found a way of protecting him. Our Blessed Mother, Mary was an unmarried mother, potentially put at risk of divorce or stoning and the new born Jesus, was at risk of slaughter at the hands of Herod, and many other innocent children died in Bethlehem.

This Sunday is designated as the Day for Life in the Catholic Church in the British Isles. The Church teaches that life is to be nurtured from conception to natural death. In England and Wales, Day for Life is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year. This year it falls on 18 June. For the first time, it will be celebrated in Scotland and Ireland on the same day.

The theme is ‘Listen to Her’ and focuses on post-abortion trauma and the impact of abortion primarily on women, but also men and others.

Each year a message is released, usually by the Church’s Lead Bishop for Life Issues, offering a reflection on the year’s theme. The 2023 message is unique in that the bishops’ have given it over to a Catholic woman who has had an abortion to share her experiences. Often the voices of women who have had an abortion are silent in Church and in society. The hope is that this will help break this silence and offer further opportunities for healing and reconciliation. [The message is in the link below.] The young woman is called Jane, she very bravely gives her testimony, and it is really worth reading. Jane could be any woman sitting amongst us, we don’t know. We thank Jane for her bravery in sharing her story and pray that her story helps anyone else contemplating abortion to reconsider and to seek help from a pro-life source. Or if there is anyone trying to cope with the grief or guilt following an abortion alone, that they are encouraged to reach out and seek help.

As I said at the beginning, there are some people who see human beings as commodities. The lives lost in the transport of their human cargos are disposed of indicative of our throw away society. Since the legalisation of abortion, the unborn child has also become a commodity and is not being seen for the beauty it is. Now some in society are pushing for Euthanasia, the killing of people who are close to the end of their lives. The advocates of this say they will put in safeguards to protect the vulnerable. But as we have seen with abortion, the safeguards are eroded over time, with some places now permitting the abortion of healthy babies up until birth.

How can this be right?

They are asking doctors, nurses and midwives to do the opposite of what their vocation called them to do; and now, if they speak up they risk losing their jobs.

As Catholics we are called to protect life, killing another human being is wrong, regardless of whether we use the word, kill, abort or euthanise. These other words are deliberately used to deceive, and as Catholics we know who the great deceiver is. As Catholics we are also called to be a safe place for those who have listened to the great deceiver, it is not our job to condemn, we are all sinners. We pray for those who have had abortions and we pray they find God’s forgiveness.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 551, 761-766: the Church prefigured in Old Testament community
CCC 783-786: the Church a priestly, prophetic, royal people
CCC 849-865: the apostolic mission of the Church

CCC 2270-2283: Abortion and Euthanasia

Day for Life Message – Catholic Bishops’ Conference (cbcew.org.uk)

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The success of the pastoral area formation programme ‘The Wild Goose’ which we are using as part of the Year of the Holy Spirit.
• The success of the Diocesan Life in the Spirit programme which is running online on Thursdays.
• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation.
• Those preparing to be ordained to the priesthood or diaconate.
• Those considering an abortion, that they be guided by those around them in prayer.