Category: Deacon Tony reflects

(Ezekiel 37:12-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:8-11; John 11:1-45)

In the first reading we hear the prophet Ezekiel tell the people that God says He will open our graves. He also says that we as a people will recognise that the LORD is at work when the graves are opened. Then in the Gospel, we hear that Jesus ordered the grave of Lazarus to be opened and He called Lazarus out from the grave he had occupied for four days. In the first reading from the Sacred Scriptures, which the Scribes and Pharisees insisted everyone had to live to; is the declaration of a sign to look out for; and in the Gospel the sign happening in front of their eyes. We hear that because of this miracle, many of the Jews believed in Jesus. But why not all of them?

I think the reason many of the Scribes and Pharisees refused to accept Jesus, was because they had head knowledge of God, but that knowledge failed to travel the enormous distance to their hearts. These men, no doubt very wise men, concerned themselves with following the rules, so much so, that the rules became more important to them than the Scriptures. They also had political and personal interests to look after. Time after time, Jesus called them out, He called them hypocrites, highlighting that they delighted in pointing the finger at other people, becoming accusers and judging people to different standards than they perhaps applied to themselves.

Are there areas of life where we are like this?

Are we quick to point out the faults of those we live with, ignoring that we probably do the exact same thing ourselves?

In this Gospel reading we hear how Jesus wept for his friend, in his life Jesus experienced most of the emotions we also experience. When Jesus was deeply moved, He was not only showing us how He felt, but He was moved by how upset Martha and Mary were at the loss of their brother. Jesus knew He was going to bring Lazarus back from the dead. He deliberately delayed his journey to demonstrate to us that we have to be patient. Things will happen in God’s time, not always when we want them to happen. In this passage of the Gospel, we see Jesus demonstrate human love and divine power. His compassion is striking, as He enhances the faith of those He encounters and reveals himself as the Lord of Life. The positioning of this Gospel in the 5^th week of Lent acts as a compelling prologue to the Gospel we will hear in the next two weeks as the Church enters the Paschal Mystery which reveals Jesus as the conqueror of sin and death.[1]

This Gospel also has one of the most striking professions of faith which was ever spoken. When Martha uttered the words ‘Yes Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’ When Martha said these words, this was prior to her brother being raised from the dead. What faith and trust she demonstrated on that day.

There are times in our life when we feel distant from God, maybe even that He has abandoned us. This is not the case. We must keep faith in God, using the example of Martha. At what must have been one of the lowest times in her life, she still was able to say that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Her faith did not waver.

As we get closer to Holy Week and Easter, we still have time to reinforce our Lenten observances.

• Can we devote more time or improve the quality of our prayers?
• Can we fast from sin or from something which we really enjoy and dedicate that time to God?
• Are we able to share the gifts we have received from God with those in need?

Over the past three weeks we have been reminded of our Baptism: firstly the encounter of the Samaritan woman at the well, who was promised living water; which we know to be the Holy Spirit. Last week we heard of the man born blind; his eyes were opened by Jesus, the Light of Life; symbolising our faith which should never be hidden. This week we have Lazarus being raised from the dead; a reminder of the reward available to us if we are faithful to the promises made at our Baptism. While we have a three-year cycle, these readings are always used when the Scrutinies for adults who will be Baptised at easter take place. They are an examination for the Candidates prior to their Baptism and a preparation for all of us who are already Baptised and will renew our Baptismal promises at Easter.

I’ve mentioned before that our faith is not a passive faith, it is meant to be shared, we are called to live out our faith. Neither is it a private faith something just between me and God. As Christians we are called to accept the cross we have been allocated; we can’t pick or choose. We are called to still be faithful. This week we are reminded how faithful Martha was, she trusted in Jesus and was rewarded by an extraordinary event – her brother restored to life.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fifth Sunday of Lent

CCC 992-996: the progressive revelation of resurrection
CCC 549, 640, 646: raisings a messianic sign prefiguring Christ’s Resurrection
CCC 2603-2604: the prayer of Jesus before the raising of Lazarus
CCC 1002-1004: our present experience of resurrection
CCC 1402-1405, 1524: the Eucharist and the Resurrection
CCC 989-990: the resurrection of the body^[2]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes especially those preparing for Sacraments this Easter.
• The young people preparing for Confirmation in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The continued success of the Pastoral Area Lent course on Prayer.
• The children who continue their Baptism Preparation sessions this week.

Deacon Tony

21^st March 2026

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[1] Robert Draper, Volume 19 Issue 1, The Tablet Publishing Company, London 2023]83.

[2] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Laetare Sunday

(1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41)

During a baptism service the baptismal candle is lit from the Pascal or Easter candle, this has significant symbolism. Firstly, we are recalling the events of the first Easter, which are commemorated at the Easter Vigil each year. The world was in darkness following the events of Good Friday. The first sign of light (the first signs of life come from the Easter fire) where the Light of Christ starts to bathe the world in light again. This is a new beginning, just like when the world was created and God said, ‘let there be light’. The world will never be the same again, because now Jesus has risen from the dead. In our baptism we go down into the grave with Jesus and are lifted up, cleansed by water; which gives life; and sealed with the Holy Spirit.

The second symbol is the flame of faith. When the light is brought close to the newly baptised, the words spoken by the celebrant are ‘receive the light of Christ’. If it is a child being baptised, the parents are instructed to ‘keep the flame of faith alive in their hearts’. This has to be done by words and deeds. The parents and godparents are asked to be good role models, as would the sponsor of an adult being baptised.

In the Gospel we hear today, we have these symbols being lived out. The man born blind had lived in darkness, his world had no light. But when Jesus opened his eyes, his faith was born; just as we are reborn in baptism. He is transformed by his encounter with Jesus. He goes from being a beggar who people ‘passed by’ to a man who told the temple officials the Good News, even though they did not want to hear it. The flame of faith was very much burning in this man’s heart.

The temple officials, tried as best they could to discredit his testimony, but the more they probed, the more the man who was born blind, shared the Good News. Their motives were to protect their own lifestyles, they could not countenance Jesus being the Messiah, because He did not fit the Messiah they had in their minds -someone who would be a great warrior and destroy all of their enemies. This is very much linked with our first reading from the first book of Samuel. Here we have Samuel sent to Bethlehem to show the people who God was going to choose as the next King of Israel. Samuel’s first thought was that Eliab would be the chosen one as he was the eldest and looked to be the most powerful. But God said to Samuel that ‘the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’

What does God see in our hearts today?

For the people we encounter in the Bible, God was pivotal in their lives. Every action, every decision, every outcome was affected by the relationship the individual had with God.

Could the same be said about us today?

One of the most common challenges I hear from my wife when I am discouraged, or down beat is ‘did you pray about it?’  It frustrates the life out of me that time and time again, I try to do things under my own power and fail to involve God by praying before I act. It frustrates me even more that she is right. Is it any wonder that I get discouraged because I am trying to do my will, without considering if it is also God’s will.

We are now half way through Lent, it is a good time to review how our Lent is going. I often start off Lent full of good intentions and try to make too many changes. I have probably done the same again this year. My hopes were to find more time to pray, which for the most part has worked, although I do find myself struggling occasionally. I have also tried to avoid eating between meals, this has been mostly successful. We are also called to look at our life and, today especially, shine the light into the darkest corners of our life.

What areas of my life do I need to change? What areas of my life do I not want to shine the light on, because it is uncomfortable for me?

When we do this and expose these elements of our life to ourselves, then we need to seek God’s forgiveness and His help to prevent us from sinning again. There are opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation at all of our churches. Please look at your local newsletter. In addition, the Pastoral Area Reconciliation Service is on Friday 27^th March at 7:30 pm in St Bede’s Church. That way we can live out the words of the opening prayer [Collect] today – ‘O God, who through your Word reconcile the human race to yourself in a wonderful way, grant we pray, that with prompt devotion and eager faith the Christian people may hasten toward the solemn celebrations to come.’  Amen.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday of Lent

CCC 280, 529, 748, 1165, 2466, 2715: Christ the light of the nations
CCC 439, 496, 559, 2616: Jesus is the Son of David
CCC 1216: baptism is illumination
CCC 782, 1243, 2105: Christians are to be light of the world^[1]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes especially those preparing for Sacraments this Easter.
• The young people preparing for Confirmation in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The continued success of the Pastoral Area Lent course on Prayer.
• The children who began their Baptism Preparation last week.

Deacon Tony

13^th March 2026

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[1] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

(Exodus 17:3-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-2,5-8; John 4:5-42)

This Lent, we have restarted watching The Chosen, which is a dramatised version of how Jesus called the disciples interlinked with Gospel accounts. One of the episodes this week was the Gospel we have just heard. This helped me not only to visualise the scene and the discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan woman but also to see how the woman’s encounter with Jesus changed her. She went from a woman who was shunned by her neighbours to telling everyone about Jesus.

It also reminded me of a trip to Goa in 2018, where we visited a church with life size models of this scene from Jacob’s well. In that scene the Samaritan woman had the image of several men on her back to demonstrate her life before she met Jesus.

The Scripture readings today remind us of our Baptism, by water and the Holy Spirit. In the first reading from Exodus, we hear how the people rebelled against Moses and against God, by complaining that they would have been better off staying in Egypt to be slaves, as at least they had water to drink. God instructed Moses how to provide water, which saved their lives.

In St Paul’s letter to the Romans, we hear that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” In our Baptism we enter the grave with Jesus and rise again with Him. St Paul reminds us that Christ died for us even though we are sinners.

In the Gospel we have the discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. There is so much in this passage, for example, the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans, in fact they despised each other. In those days, a Jewish man would not approach a woman who was alone, he would certainly not ask her for a drink. The Samaritan woman, who we discover was not one for keeping to convention; points out how Jesus is not complying with custom. Jesus is able to tell the woman that He knows all about her; just like He knows all about every one of us. He also chooses her, a non-Jew, to reveal that He is the one they have all been awaiting; He is the Messiah. The whole conversation is a wonderful example of Jesus’ willingness to engage with people as they are, and of his openness with women.

This Gospel is the first of three Gospels in Cycle A, in these last three Sundays in Lent, we start to emphasise the symbols of Baptism which we celebrate at Easter. This is important not only for those being baptised at the Easter Vigil, but also for all of us who will renew our Baptismal promises at Easter. Then we enter afresh into the living and nourishing water of God’s love which surpasses any food or drink, into the light which enlightens the blind [the Cure of the Man Born Blind] and true life [the Raising of Lazarus].[1] It is through our Baptism that we are refreshed by the living water, our eyes are opened to see God and the needs of our neighbour and that we have the promise of being raised up after we die.

For several months we have been journeying with men and women who have been seeking to learn more about the Catholic faith. Two weeks ago, some of these people attended the Cathedral at Portsmouth to formally register their intent to join the Catholic Church. Today some of them commence the Scrutinies, where they will start to make promises designed specifically for the unbaptised who seek to enter the Church at the Easter Vigil. These rites are celebrated on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent, and they serve as moments of deep spiritual purification and enlightenment. You may not be aware, but they are deeply rooted in the ancient practices of the early Church. The scrutinies call both the catechumens [those yet to be baptised] and the faithful to complete a self-examination, which ultimately leads us towards conversion. They prepare the catechumens to receive the sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist—while also reinforcing the Lenten journey for the entire Church.[2] This is a time of great joy for these people and for us, it shows us that the Church is still growing, that people see something in us that makes them want to look into becoming Catholic.

Let’s keep these people in our pastoral area and beyond in our prayers, as we all journey towards Easter together.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Third Sunday of Lent

CCC 1214-1216, 1226-1228: baptism, rebirth of water and Spirit
CCC 727-729: Jesus reveals the Holy Spirit
CCC 694, 733-736, 1215, 1999, 2652: the Holy Spirit, the living water, a gift of God
CCC 604, 733, 1820, 1825, 1992, 2658: God takes the initiative; hope from the Spirit^[3]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes especially those preparing for Sacraments this Easter.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The continued success of the Pastoral Area Lent course on Prayer.
• The children who will begin their Baptism Preparation this weekend.

Deacon Tony

7^th March 2026

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[1] Universalis commentary on the Readings for the 3^rd Sunday of Lent.

[2] The Significance of the Scrutinies in the Catholic Church and the Easter Vigil

[3] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

(Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 33; 2 Timothy 1:8b-10; Matthew 17:1-9)

For most of my life, except my first ten years in Tadley I have lived on or next to hills. I know that it takes more effort to go up a hill than to go down a hill. So much so, that when I was a schoolboy, I used to delay my trip up the hill after school for as long as possible in the vain hope that my Dad would be coming home early and would maybe stop to give me a lift. Whilst at school, I tried hill walking a couple of times; we went to Ben Vorlich and Ben Lomond, which are located near Loch Lomond. I enjoyed the hill walking, but using borrowed walking shoes put me off for a long time. More recently when I travelled to Medjugorje I climbed the hill and the mountain, both of which require a great deal of energy to climb, however, the views are so beautiful and inspirational.

In the Bible we hear of Moses and Elijah being energised in their mission by meeting God on the mountain. In the Book of Exodus, we read that “The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud” [Exodus 24:16].If we had heard the actual start of Chapter 17 of Matthew’s Gospel today, we would have heard “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.” This reference announces Jesus as the new Moses and, with the seventh day, a reference to the new creation which Jesus is inaugurating.

Today’s Gospel, where Jesus reveals His Glory to his closest apostles, comes immediately after St Matthew’s account of when Peter was told he is the rock on which the Church will be built, followed swiftly by Jesus rebuking him because he failed to understand that Jesus had to die and rise from the dead. Again, in today’s account we see Peter not fully appreciating what is happening in front of him. He wants to preserve the scene by building tents, he wants to keep Moses and Elijah alongside Jesus. He doesn’t understand that the purpose of the mountain is to give them energy to get through what they are going to experience. The voice from the cloud, seems like a message to Peter, and to us, that when we get our own ideas about faith, we need to focus back on Jesus. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” [1]

By experiencing the Transfiguration, these three apostles will be able to gather the rest of the apostles and the disciples together after the Crucifixion; they, having seen Christ’s Glory, will be able to tell the others to keep the faith. This is the same message we need to remember even in our darkest moments.  We need to keep the faith, because if we can, then at the end of our journey we will see Jesus as He really is; Glorified on the right hand of the Father.

As we continue our Lenten journey, we walk on with hope. We remember that we are his disciples today and we need to take the Light of Christ to the darkest parts of our life, to the darkest parts of our world and shine that light to transform the darkness into light. That is the hope which faith gives us. We can use this as an examination of conscience –

What are the dark parts of my life which I need to be exposed to Christ’s light today?

When we are able to identify these, we can take them to Confession and seek reconciliation with God and our Community. Confident in the first words Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel “Rise, and have no fear.”

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Lent

CCC 554-556, 568: the Transfiguration
CCC 59, 145-146, 2570-2571: the obedience of Abraham
CCC 706: God’s promise to Abraham fulfilled in Christ
CCC 2012-2014, 2028, 2813: the call to holiness^[2]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes especially those preparing for Sacraments this Easter.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The continued success of the Pastoral Area Lent course on Prayer.
• The children who will be beginning their Baptism Preparation soon.
• The Community of St Oswald’s in Burghfield Common, whose Patronal Feast is this Saturday.
• Fr Jim Keenan RIP, former Parish Priest in Tadley and Kingsclere, whose anniversary of death occurs next Friday.

Deacon Tony

27^th February 2026

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[1] Maria Power and Raymond Friel, Pastoral Review Vol 22 Issue 1, [The Tablet Publishing Company Limited, London 2025] 78-79.

[2] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

(Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Psalm 50; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11)

Over the years there have been many professed atheists who try to convince others that there is no God. Sometimes they do this in debates with Christians in places like universities or colleges and sometimes these have been televised. One of the things which strikes me about these people is that they have mostly read Scriptures thoroughly and can recall the words of Scriptures often far better than some Christians; myself included. This is dedication, the origins of which should be examined.

In the Gospel we hear today we have the devil quoting Scripture to Jesus, in an attempt to make Jesus prove that He is the Son of God. Jesus, the Word made Flesh, knows Scriptures far better than anyone ever born; rebukes the devil, knowing that He will prove He is the Son of God in his own way, in his own time and to those who will follow him.

In St Paul’s letter to the Romans, we hear the argument from Paul that if sin was brought into the world by the actions of one man, then it is only fitting that redemption is also brought into the world by one man. That man is Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man. This reading is perfectly placed in our readings today. In the first reading, we hear about the first sin, which saw mankind exiled from the Garden of Eden and in the Gospel, we hear how Jesus resisted temptation at the start of his ministry.

The same tempter, involved with vastly different results.

Lent is a time when we are called to look at how we are living out our Faith. We are encouraged to pray, fast and give alms in order to offer sacrifice to God. However, I’d like to suggest that this is how we as Christians should already be behaving. If we call ourselves Christians then we should already be leading a life which is rooted in prayer. We should be learning Holy Scriptures better than any atheist, so that when we encounter someone who argues against God, that we have the answer. We should already be fasting when the occasion demands it. Abstinence from meat on a Friday is no great sacrifice really and we should probably be doing this more; it helps us to get closer to Jesus and is good for us [says the overweight deacon]. Alms giving should be second nature to us, but is it? As Christians we are called to love God and our neighbour.

How do we show that in 2026?

It is scandalous that we need Foodbanks and Night shelters in 21^st Century Britain, but we do, and from my experience locally they are getting busier.

Next Friday we are asked to take part in the CaFOD Family Fast Day, it is one of the main fundraisers for CaFOD which helps people in need all over the world. Often when we are asked to give to charity we are encouraged to give from our surplus; the money we have left over after paying our bills; but this appeal is different. When we fast, we place ourselves temporarily in a similar position to those who are hungry. We get to temporarily experience what they experience all the time. However, the next day we can go back to eating while they are still hungry. Next Friday, we are encouraged to use the money we would have spent on food and give it to CaFOd, who can then use it in one of their projects to keep people alive. We go hungry for one day and someone else gets to live.

The tempter will try and tell us that we can’t make a difference, that the little bit of money we can contribute won’t matter. But this is when we can defy the tempter. Everything that we can contribute will be put to good use. The tempter is all about destruction. He hates it when we work to build up God’s Kingdom. We build God’s Kingdom by loving God and loving our neighbour. We also defy the tempter by loving God and loving our neighbour.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Further Reading

First Sunday of Lent

CCC 394, 538-540, 2119: the temptation of Jesus
CCC 2846-2849: “Lead us not into temptation”
CCC 385-390, 396-400: the Fall
CCC 359, 402-411, 615: Adam, Original Sin, Christ the New Adam^[1]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes and those attending the Rite of Election at the Cathedral this Saturday.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The success of the forthcoming Pastoral Area Lent course on Prayer.
• The children who will be beginning their Baptism Preparation soon.
• For those returning from their half-term holiday, that the time away from school or college will have been energising for them and that they can return to their studies/work with renewed enthusiasm.

Deacon Tony

21^st February 2026

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[1] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

[Sirach 15:15-20; Psalm 119; 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37]

The study of history gives us an awareness of what has already happened. Our Salvation History is documented in Holy Scriptures; what we know as the Bible. When St Paul was writing to the Corinthians nearly 2000 years ago, he described  how the rulers of his day had missed for some the One they had longed to see and for others the signs of the times which pointed towards Jesus being a righteous and peaceful man. As he said, ‘otherwise they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.’

I wonder when historians look back at the rulers of our days, what they will record as being significant. A look at the leaders of our ages in the few weeks since 2026 started, may show significant turning points in our domestic and international affairs. Our Prime Minister’s judgement has been called into question several times, a former Prince of the Realm is under siege by journalists and having already withdrawn from public life is now preparing to move to a new home well away from prying eyes. Meanwhile, the current leader of one of our oldest allies has advised those living in Europe that we shouldn’t depend on the USA to continue to defend us if we are threatened; at the same time applying pressure to take a country under their control; which is currently under the control of Denmark, another ally. If St Paul were alive today, I’m certain that he would be questioning whether the rulers of this age have been endowed with wisdom.

In the Gospel from St Matthew, we hear Jesus tell us that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them. Before diving into what Jesus said, I think a little bit of context is needed here. The Jew used the expression the Law, in four different ways –

[i] The Ten Commandments

[ii] The Pentateuch- the first 5 books of the Bible

[iii] The Law and the Prophets, to mean the whole of Scripture, which we would call the Old Testament.

[iv] The Oral or Scribal Law; at the time of Jesus, this was the most common meaning of ‘the Law’; and it was this Scribal Law which Jesus utterly condemned.

These Scribal Laws were the results of centuries of debate and refinement, where the scholars of the Jewish scrolls had dissected the Ten Commandments and the works of the Prophets to get as precise a meaning as they could for these documents. The result of this was not a simple set of rules which people could follow easily, but convoluted legal jargon, which the Scribes and Pharisees could find workarounds to; whilst condemning lesser educated followers.

When Jesus went through the Commandments, He was not making the Commandments more severe, He was telling us that we need to follow the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. The letter of the law was what the Scribes and Pharisees came up with.  The spirit of the law is the essence of what God has asked us to obey.

Jesus is asking us to live our lives more simply. If we seek the path which leads to Jesus, then we will be less likely to sin; because we will be satisfied with what we have and less likely to covet what is not ours. If we put God at the centre of our lives, then we will respect the Sabbath. If we are all honest with one another then there will be no need to swear an oath, because we will be able to trust one another.

Compare this with the leaders we have, who covet other lands because they can exploit the mineral wealth of other nations, making the rich, richer and exploiting the poor. Or, the leaders embroiled in scandal, who mislead or contort the truth to suit their own ambitions.

Jesus taught us all with his actions. He taught us how to live, how to love and how to serve. The leaders of our days and the days to come would do well to follow the example of Jesus, the Son of God, who got down on his hands and knees and washed the dirt from the feet of his followers, this is true leadership, this is servant leadership from the Servant King.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 577-582: Jesus and the Law
CCC 1961-1964 the old Law
CCC 2064-2068: the Decalogue in the tradition of the Church^[1]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• The victims of human trafficking.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes and those attending the Rite of Election at the Cathedral on the 21^st February.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The success of the forthcoming Pastoral Area Lent course on Prayer.
• Hans, who will be baptised this Sunday at St Bede’s.

Deacon Tony

14^th February 2026

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[1] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

[Isaiah 58:6-10; Psalm 112; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16]

When I was younger, I used to drive through the night, to get to Scotland. The theory was that if I drove through the night, I would have extra time in the day to see my relatives. But I was often left too tired to enjoy their company. One of my favourite parts of these journeys was seeing the sun rise; watching as the darkness dispersed and the light filled the sky, changing the way everything looked.

In today’s Scripture readings we hear Isaiah describe how Christ’s light will break forth like the dawn and how healing will increase in the light of Christ; as His light breaks forth in Glory. The psalm also describes the light rising in the darkness. It rises with generosity, mercy and brings righteousness.

St Paul doesn’t use the word ‘light’ in the passage we have today from his first letter to the Corinthians, but he describes how he first spoke with the Corinthians. When he first spoke with them, he spoke only about Jesus and let Christ enlighten their minds.

In the Gospel we hear Jesus use two phrases. The first phrase is still used in common language today. If we hear someone described as ‘the salt of the earth’ we know that person is regarded as someone who can be relied upon. They are good, solid, dependable and highly regarded by their peers. In fact, it is probably one of the best compliments we can give to someone; until we hear the true meaning behind the other phrase Jesus used.

Jesus said, ‘you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.’ When Jesus calls us ‘the light of the world’, he is saying we are to be like Him. We read elsewhere Jesus said ‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world’, [John 9:5]. So, when Jesus describes His followers as the light of the world, He is saying that we are to be Him and shine His light wherever we go.

The people Jesus originally spoke these words to, would have been very familiar with the terminology, for example they described Jerusalem as a ‘light to the Gentiles’, and a famous Rabbi would have been called ‘a lamp of Israel’.[1] All of these expressions gave honour to God. The Jewish people knew that their light was not self-generated, but that their light came from God.

When Jesus used these expressions, He was saying that following Him, was not something we were to keep to ourselves. Following Jesus, means taking Jesus out of the Church buildings into our homes, our schools, our workplaces. So, how do we in North Hampshire do that today?

If we search our own hearts and ask:

Where have I shone the light of Christ in the last week?

Would those I live with or work with, or those I have met in the last week, know that I am a Christian, by what they see me do?

Our answers to those two questions will say a lot about us and the future of the Church in this area. If we cannot be seen doing the work of Christ, then sadly, the Church has little chance of surviving in this area. Our role, in 2026 is the same role as the disciples of 2000 years ago. It is to go out into the world and be the light of the world, taking Jesus to the darkest places and shine His light so that all will believe.

Perhaps, when we have done that, we can be worthy of the titles of ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 782: People of God to be salt and light
CCC 2044-2046: moral life and missionary witness
CCC 2443-2449: light on works of mercy, love for the poor
CCC 1243: the baptized (neophytes) are to be light of the world
CCC 272: Christ crucified is the wisdom of God^[2]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• The victims of human trafficking.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes and those attending the Rite of Election at the Cathedral on the 21^st February.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.

Deacon Tony

7^th February 2026

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[1] William Barclay, The Study Bible, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1, Chapters 1-10, [The Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh, 1975]118-125.

[2] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

[Zephaniah 2:3,3:12-13 Psalm 146; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12a]

Most of you know that I am a big football fan, in particular Celtic. A few years ago we had a manager called Ange Postecoglu, he was very successful with Celtic, before winning a European Trophy with Spurs and then having a miserable time with Forest. His main philosophy in football was to never give up, he said, ‘let the others give up if they want to, we keep going right to the end’; this encouraged a zeal in his players to win the ball back quickly and to play right up until the final whistle in every game. The Beatitudes also tell us not to give up. Jesus is saying that whatever life throws at us we are to think of him, think about our end goal and to persist in our journey to heaven.

Our readings today, point us towards Jesus’ message in the Gospel. The first words used in our reading from the prophet Zephaniah tell us to ‘seek the LORD, all you humble of the land’. When we consider these words and read the Gospel we are reminded to keep the LORD ever in our mind, and to trust in God.

The psalm, is a psalm which oozes mercy, reminding us how merciful God; is towards us and setting the example of how we are to be merciful towards each other. This reminds us of the Jesus’ promise that if we are merciful then we shall receive mercy.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul is telling us that Jesus did not choose the people we would automatically choose to spread the Good News. He did not choose priests, or teachers or people with high profiles. Jesus chose fishermen to become fishers of men. Jesus chose sinners who had received His forgiveness to speak about how wonderful the mercy of God is; and Jesus has chosen us to be part of His Body, the Church. When St Paul says that ‘God chose the weak in the world to shame the strong’, he is saying in another way ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’

Looking at the Beatitudes in turn, Jesus said

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit…’, who are the poor in spirit? These are the people who know they need God’s forgiveness, they are actively seeking out God, yearning to love God more, not happy to settle for mediocrity in their faith, never giving up in their search for God. ‘…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’.

‘Blessed are those who mourn….’  we have all mourned at some time or another, when we lose a loved one we pray for their soul, we ask God to comfort us and others who mourn. Jesus is telling us not to forget the dead and to have hope that He has taken them to a better place; the same place He is preparing for us. When we weep for a loved one we are crying out to Jesus, who knew what it was like to weep out of grief. In Him, we have that hope and we can find comfort. ‘….for they shall be comforted.’

‘Blessed are the meek….’ it often seems that only those with loud voices or the proud get heard, Jesus turns that on its head. If you think you have everything in this life and don’t use it to help others, then you will lose your inheritance; however, if those with the quiet calm still voices persist and use the stillness, they will hear the voice of God and ‘they will inherit the earth.

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…’ As Christians we are not supposed to be passive when we see others being wronged. We are supposed to speak up, use the voices and the intellect God has given us and to say to those who are being unjust, or who are proposing an unjust law, ‘this is not right’. We must never sit idly by and allow harm to come to others without getting involved. Never giving up in the fight for what is right, because Jesus promised ’they shall be satisfied.’

‘Blessed are the merciful…’ some cultures urge their followers to show no mercy, that it is seen as a sign of weakness. Jesus teaches us that showing mercy is a strength and that when we offer others mercy then we ‘shall receive mercy’.

‘Blessed are the pure in heart…’ purity comes from God. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree, they took away the purity which God intended for us. Those who seek to be pure in heart; looking to love when it is time to love and abstain when it is time to abstain truly seek God, for those Jesus’ promise is that ‘they shall see God.’

‘Blessed are the peacemakers….’ This is not just the politicians looking to win a Nobel prize or some made up award to boost their already inflated ego. Peace starts in our homes; do we truly seek to make peace with those we live with? Do we try to live a peaceful life? Do we really mean it when we offer each other the sign of peace at Mass? If we do, then Jesus is promising us that we ‘…shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake…’ Jesus is asking us again, to trust in him. We are to be prepared to put everything on the line and speak up for what is right, to hold true to the teachings of the Gospel no matter what it costs. Jesus is saying that no matter what happens, we are to keep going, persevere and never give up we must keep going and we will reach our goal ‘ the kingdom of heaven.’

‘Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account…’ Jesus is basically saying that if people are doing this, then you are living out all of His commandments. You are putting into action the faith which He has given us. If these things are happening to you, it means you are on the right road and that you must ‘..Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.  Notice Jesus does not say your reward will be, He says your reward is great in heaven.  This is the promise the martyrs held onto, which strengthened their resolve.

The Beatitudes are our encouragement to stay close to Jesus in this world; which if we can live up to them, guarantees that we will be with Jesus in the next.

At a recent RCIA session, one of the participants referred to these simply, as the Be attitudes…I couldn’t have put it any better myself. Have a great week.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 459, 520-521: Jesus a model of the beatitudes for followers
CCC 1716-1724: call to beatitude
CCC 64, 716: the poor and humble remnant bear hope of Messiah[1]

What The Eight Beatitudes Mean For Our World Today | Jocelyn Soriano

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• Those attending the RCIA programmes.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.

Deacon Tony

31^st January 2026

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[1] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

[Isaiah 9:1b-4; Psalm 27; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17; Matthew 4:12-23]

As a Scot, the 25^th January has a special significance, as we join millions around the world and celebrate Burns Night. Robert Burns was a farmer and an excise man who was born on this date in 1759[1]. He is however famous for writing over 700 poems and is Scotland’s National Bard (poet). On this date haggis is eaten (along with ‘neeps & tatties’ {turnip/swede & potatoes}) accompanied by a wee dram; and in formal settings his poems are recited. In modern day terminology, Burns may be regarded as a wordsmith. Someone who was clever with words and could put them together well to bring the words on the page to life for the reader.

In 2026 the 25^th January is also the 7^th year we will celebrate the Sunday of the Word of God[2]. Whilst Burns brought words to life for his readers, the Word of God offers the opportunity of eternal life for those who read and follow.

So, what is the Word of God saying to us this Sunday?

Today’s readings offer us a theme or a melody; what Isaiah spoke of as prophesy, St Matthew repeats as history[3] highlighting that Jesus, the great light, has dawned.

I think there is also a strong message in the Gospel to us, in who Jesus calls to be his first disciples. He calls two sets of brothers, most brothers will have each other’s back, looking out for each other based on a family bond of love which has been nurtured from their earliest days. In calling brothers, Jesus is telling us that as His disciples, we need to develop that brotherly love, looking out for one another, protecting one another, loving one another.

When Jesus formed His Community, He wanted people who would be loyal to Him, he wanted people He could trust to look out for the weaker members of the Community. He didn’t want the Community to break into factions, but sadly over the years that is what has happened. In the second reading today, St Paul is warning the Corinthians against this. We are not supposed to separate into different parts because we are all part of the Body of Christ.

As Christians we are obliged to keep Christ at the centre of our lives; everything else is secondary. The love we have for our friends and family is only possible because Our Creator is Love and we are made in His image and likeness. The love we have for our families is multiplied when we love Jesus, because the love we have for Jesus reflects out into every other relationship we have.

Today also marks the end of the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme this year has been One Body, One Spirit, with a reminder to work for peace for people everywhere.[4] Within this area Christians of various denominations do great work together, the Foodbank, Food Pantries, Street Pastors, Town Centre Chaplains, the Night Shelter and Hospital Chaplaincy are just a few examples where Christians serve the local community and reach out to those of all faiths and none, taking Jesus to them. Without the services these groups provide, many people in this area would be left cold, hungry and vulnerable in a secular world which seems to only value people when they have something to give and shuns them when they are in need.

What will you do with what you have heard in scriptures today?

Could it make a difference to you or others?

How will you make this happen?

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 551, 765: the call of the Twelve
CCC 541-543: Reign of God calls and gathers Jews and Gentiles
CCC 813-822: unity of the Church[5]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• For Gabriella, Robert, Oluwatamilore, & Oluwafikayomi who are being baptised at St Bede’s this weekend.

Deacon Tony

24^th January 2026

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[1] Robert Burns – Search

[2] Liturgical and Pastoral Handbook

[3] Placid Murray, 100 Liturgical Homilies, [The Columba Press, Dublin, 1988] 67.

[4] Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 – One Body One Spirit – Churches Together in England

[5] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

[Isaiah 49:3,5-6; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; John1:29-34]

‘Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’, these words from John the Baptist and repeated at every Mass draw our attention to Jesus. In the times before Jesus, lambs would be sacrificed in the temple as a sin offering to re-establish relationship with God [Lev 32-35]. Jesus is the lamb of God; he frees the temple animals [Jn 2:13-22] as they are no longer needed. Jesus once and for all takes away the sin of the world by his death and resurrection.[1]

John the Baptist had one key role in life and that was to point towards Jesus, to let the people know that the Messiah had come. As Baptised Christians, we share that role, we have a duty, through our Baptism to point people towards Jesus. We do this through what we say and what we do. It is not enough for us to turn up at Mass each week, listen to the Word of God, receive Jesus in the Eucharist then go home and get on with our life. This is not good enough. When we hear the Word of God, we need to let it enter into our hearts and move our hearts into action. This action is to love God and love our neighbour by sharing God’s love with them. By receiving the Body of Christ in the Eucharist we receive God’s grace which gives us the Spiritual energy, the courage and the confidence to do God’s work. John the Baptist had this grace in abundance through the power of the Holy Spirit; he even had it in his mother’s womb.

There are times in life when I feel called to do something or when I am asked to do something which troubles me, when I am way out of my comfort zone. I judge that these are times when my natural gifts are suited elsewhere or when I come away thinking I have wasted my time. Often forgetting that I do not see the big picture in those instances and that if I do God’s will, He knows what difference I have made.  I wonder if John the Baptist ever felt like that? If he did, then surely his encounter with Jesus by the River Jordan at Bethany, dispelled all of those negative feelings. His mission was realised that day! He had been told that the one on whom the Holy Spirit descended and rested that He is the Son of God. John saw this and bore witness to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.

Above the alcove where the tabernacle is in St Bede’s Church, there are the words Ecce Agnus Dei; Behold the Lamb of God. Every time we enter the church we are reminded of those words of John the Baptist. Jesus[2] is present with us in the Eucharist just as He was present for John the Baptist at Bethany. Our mission is to bring more people to Him, to point to those words and tell people that Jesus is with us, just as He promised us that He would be – until the end of time [Mt 28:20].

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 604-609: Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away sins of all
CCC 689-690: mission of Son and Holy Spirit[3]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• For the families completing the Baptism Preparation Programme at St Bede’s this weekend.

Deacon Tony

17^th January 2026

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[1] Maria Power & Raymond Friel, Pastoral Review Vol 22 Issue 1, [The Tablet Publishing Company Limited, London, 2025] 75.

[2]

[3] Homiletic Directory, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments