Category: Deacon Tony reflects

(Numbers 21: 4b-9; Psalm 78; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17)

In today’s first reading, 750 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Amos highlighted to the people of Israel the greed of the shopkeepers and money lenders, their dishonesty and their desperation for religious festivals and the Sabbath to finish; so that they could get on and swindle the poor out of their last pennies.  Amos announces that God will not forget those who harm the poor and later on in the passage, unused in today’s reading; Amos describes the punishment awaiting the whole nation; because they sit back and allow the mistreatment of the poor.

In the Second reading St Paul urges us in his letter to Timothy to pray for everyone and especially those who govern and rule, so that religious freedom may be permitted.  This past week, those who rule and govern us have been in the news. The King attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent. The Funeral marks the first Royal Funeral at Westminster Cathedral since its construction in 1903, and the first Royal Catholic funeral in modern history[1]. The Prime Minister and the Royal Family have also been hosting the President of the United States; emphasising the special relationship between our two Nations. The current President prides himself on being able to strike a deal. I wonder what deals will be discussed during these meetings and who will benefit the most?

Our two Nations which are built on Christian principles, however, both seem to be losing their Christian identity each passing year. Modern politics seem to thrive on sound bites, eye catching headlines, often with no substance or detail being provided. There are examples from recent British governments; and indeed of Presidents; of all Political persuasions who bury bad news or when they are about to lose office, look to provide sweeteners to the electorate either to try and win their vote or so that when they are no longer in power, they may find friendly faces among their constituents, the board rooms of Companies or on the after dinner speaking circuits. Is this any different from the wasteful steward we hear about in the parable of today’s Gospel?

Jesus isn’t telling us that money is bad, it is the love of money, we have to be wary of.  Jesus is emphasising that money has no value in His Kingdom.  We cannot bank money in our heavenly bank account; our heavenly bank account only attracts interest when we invest in love.  Love of God and love of our neighbour.  We therefore need to be a slave to love and never find ourselves as slaves to money.

Today’s readings ask us to look at how money affects our relationships, our relationship with God and our relationships with those we encounter. 

• Do we put money first?
• Do we see it as ours? 
• Do we remember that everything we have comes from God?

When we look at our answers to these questions are we able to see which master we are devoted to?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[2]

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2407-2414: respect for the property of others
CCC 2443-2449: love for the poor
CCC 2635: pray for others’ interest, not just for one’s own
CCC 65-67, 480, 667: Christ our one Mediator
CCC 2113, 2424, 2848: no one can serve two masters
CCC 1900, 2636: intercession for rulers

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 preparing for the start of the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• Our politicians and leaders that they look out for the poor, the lost and the lonely when they are making deals.

Deacon Tony

18^th September 2025.

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[1] The Funeral Service for The Duchess of Kent | The Royal Family

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

(Numbers 21: 4b-9; Psalm 78; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17)

We are often reminded that God does things differently to man. There are examples of this in both the Old and the New Testaments. For example, when the prophet Samuel was sent to Jesse’s home to select one of his sons to succeed Saul as king, it wasn’t the eldest; warrior son chosen; but the young musical shepherd, who God anointed as the next king of Israel [1Samuel 16]. Likewise, at the time of Jesus, the Jewish leaders were hoping for a Messiah who would overthrow the Roman occupiers; instead, Jesus came speaking of peace, love and forgiveness.

In the first reading today, the people in the wilderness who spoke against God and Moses started to be attacked by poisonous serpents; many of the people perished. Nowadays if we are aware of a hazard, we might post signs to make people aware to either avoid the hazard or to take the right precautions to minimise the risk of the hazard becoming realised. We have no expectation that a sign we post would be an antidote for the danger; our signs are about prevention. God instructed Moses to have a bronze serpent made so that those who trusted in God would look at the elevated bronze serpent and survive. Hence, our ever-merciful God, provided a remedy to the punishment He created, for those who returned to Him.

In the Gospel Jesus tells us that no-one; but He; has ever ascended into heaven. He then goes on to remind his audience that just as Moses lifted up the serpent, so too would He be lifted up. Just as the people in the wilderness were given another chance to repent and seek forgiveness; so too would those who follow Jesus. Instead of a serpent, we would be given the Cross. The Jewish leaders at the time of Jesus saw the cross as the ultimate symbol of humiliation for Jesus. But remember God sees things differently to mankind, the serpent who killed was turned into an image which could save, the Cross of death and humiliation exchanged for a source of healing and salvation. But these gifts from God only apply when we have faith in the promises made in relation to them.

In the second reading of the Office of the Church today, St Andrew of Crete says; “How great the cross! What blessings it holds! He who possesses it possesses a treasure. More noble, more precious than anything on earth, in fact and in name, it is indeed a treasure, for in it and through it and for it all the riches of our salvation were stored away and restored to us.”[1] Today is a reminder for us of how crucial the Cross is to our Faith, as St Paul tells us, “The language of the cross may be illogical to those who are not on the way to salvation, but  those of us who are on the way see it as God’s power to save” [1 Corinthians 1:18].

Some questions to ponder –

• Do I/we have a cross in our home?
• Is the Cross displayed in a prominent place within my home?
• Do I view the Cross as a treasure?
• How would I explain that the Cross has the power to save, to a non-believer?

As well as having crucifixes in several places in our home, we have a print of Salvador Dali’s painting “Christ of St John of the Cross”. It hangs in a position that it can be viewed by everyone who comes into our home. This painting caused controversy when it was purchased by the Director of Glasgow museums in 1952, with some saying the money should have been spent on local artists. Some detractors even raising a petition to block the purchase. The Director would not be moved, and this painting is now viewed as one of the treasurers of Glasgow’s collection, with prints of the painting generating far more income than was ever spent on the painting as well as being in great demand by other museums around the world. For us it is a reminder of Glasgow, a talking point for some visitors, and a reminder of the pain Christ suffered for us.[2]

This Sunday is also Education Sunday in England and Wales; Bishop Stock, who is the Chair of the Catholic Education Service says “this is a day when we give thanks to Almighty God for the vocation of all who work with the children and young people in the Catholic education sector: governors, school leaders, chaplains, teaching and support staff.  

In the academic year ahead, let us endeavour to give witness to our Saviour’s message of hope in the Gospels, and to pray that our Catholic schools, colleges and universities will be beacons of hope in our local communities and in our two nations.”[3]

A lot of people take our schools for granted, as someone who has served as a school governor for several years, I know how dedicated the staff; both teaching and non-teaching; are in our schools. These are people who live out the Gospel message. They are bringing our young people towards Jesus our Saviour [Mt 19:14].

Today as we celebrate the Exaltation of the Cross we come to Jesus, remembering the events of Good Friday, and how this instrument of torture has been claimed by Christians everywhere as a symbol of our belonging to Christ.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church[4]

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

CCC 613-623: Christ’s death is the unique and definitive sacrifice
CCC 662: elevation on the Cross and the Ascension
CCC 555, 1816, 2015: the Cross as the way to follow Christ

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.
• That the political assassination in the USA this week is not the trigger for more violence.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• Fr Stephen as he takes up his new role at St Michaels’ and St Oswald’s and celebrates his first Masses on the anniversary of his ordination.
• All those who work in the Education sector, may they continue to inspire our young people towards a journey of lifelong education.
• Those recommencing their studies for the Priesthood and the Permanent Diaconate, especially those from our Pastoral Area.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes which are starting this week at St Bede’s.
• Those preparing for the start of 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

12^th September 2025.

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[1] St Andrew of Crete, Homily, taken from The Divine Office, Volume III, [Harper Collins Publishing, London, 1974] 253*.

[2] How Dali’s most controversial painting became the jewel of Kelvingrove Art Gallery

[3] Message to Catholic Schools for Education Sunday – Catholic Bishops’ Conference

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

(Wisdom 9:13-18; Psalm 90; Philemon 9b-10,12-17; Luke 14:25-33)

One of the key sentences to help us get the context of the difficult language used in today’s Gospel is in the first sentence, “Great crowds accompanied Jesus, and he turned and said to them….” Jesus always knew his audience, he knew there were people with the best of intentions, for example the apostles and the other disciples who were consciously trying to follow him eating up every morsel which came from his mouth. There would also have been people who hung around because of the crowds following Jesus, realising that eventually something was going to happen and not wanting to be absent when it did. And others along for the ride. Jesus makes them stop and think “Are you following the crowd or are you following me?” He also asks us “why are you here today? Are you consciously trying to be my disciple? Are you actually, deliberately trying to follow me, to live your life according to my word? To worship God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind? Or are you just here for your weekly spiritual fix? Do you realise how much being a Catholic really costs?”[1] God is calling us into a covenant relationship, not a contractual relationship. A contract is where two parties agree on what they will do for one another, and they fulfil the contract by completing their part of the agreement, after that they have no commitment to one another. A covenant runs far deeper, it means that people without blood ties, will behave towards each other as if they were connected by blood. God is calling us into His family.

The Mill Hill Missionary Fr John Hemer suggests that many Christians are looking for a contractual relationship with God “I’ll go to Mass each Sunday and in return you give me the benefits I want and don’t ask anymore from me than that.”[2]  He says that if that is what your relationship with God looks like then you have not got a faith, you have an insurance policy, or rather you think you have an insurance policy.

Being a Catholic involves sacrifice, that is what Jesus did, He sacrificed himself for us, and He asks us to pick up our cross and bear it. Whatever burden we have been given in the world we are called to bear it. For some of us our cross is short term, we may realise when that term is over, but for others it is a lifetime of carrying and bearing a burden patiently and diligently.

The first reading asks what man can know the intentions of God and states that our reasonings are unsure. It questions whether it is even possible for us to discover what is in the heavens as we are weighed down by the limitations of our body. Since this text was written mankind has developed tremendous knowledge of the earth and a fraction of knowledge of what lies beyond the earth with so much still to discover. However, this has not helped us to take care of the earth as without doubt our climate is now in crisis. Last Monday the Season of Creation started and it runs until the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on October the 4^th. We are all asked to review our impact on our planet and at other issues associated with life, are our actions consistent with the teachings found in Sacred Scriptures?

In his letter to Philemon, St Paul tells us that kindness cannot be forced, that love requires consent. He also uses the example of Onesimus to remind us that when we are open and consent to loving Christ, then we are freed from our past; whatever that was; and become brothers and sisters in Christ. He emphasises this by requesting that they should welcome Onesimus; a former slave as they would welcome St Paul.

As I said earlier, the Gospel today is calling us to a Covenantal love with Jesus, He wants us to be fully committed to our love of Him, just as He has always been in His love for us. Jesus never gives up on us, He calls us to draw closer to Him. It is a love akin to a Marriage where both parties put the needs of the other before their own needs. I know from personal experience that Marriage is not always like that, but that is what it is supposed to be like. Just like there are times in my marriage when I get things wrong and have to ask for forgiveness, then there are times in our relationship with Christ that we have to seek His forgiveness. His is a forgiveness which is always available and just like in St Paul’s tells Philemon that kindness is never forced and requires consent, so does our reception of Christ’s forgiveness, it is always available, but we have to consent to it by seeking it in the first place.

The questions we must all ask ourselves today, is am I coming to Church because I seek this Covenantal love offered to us by Jesus, or am I just following the crowd? Is the sacrifice of the Mass fundamental to by very being or a weekly spiritual fix. These are questions for us as individuals, questions which we need to answer for ourselves.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[3]

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 273, 300, 314: God’s transcendence
CCC 36-43: knowledge of God according to the Church
CCC 2544: prefer Christ to all else
CCC 914-919, 931-932: following Christ in consecrated life

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• Fr Patrick as he retires, may God bless him for his many years of service.
• Fr Stephen as he prepares to come to the pastoral area and for the parishioners and relationships he leaves behind
• That a way to feed the starving in Gaza can be found that is fair and does not pose a danger to those who are starving or the aid workers.
• All those working to preserve creation in our world, those who advocate for the sanctity of life, those seeking to protect our environment.

Deacon Tony

6^th September 2025.

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[1]&2 Fr John Hemer MHM, Pastoral Review, Vol 21Issue 3 [The Tablet Publishing Company, Twickenham, 2025] 80.

 

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

(Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Psalm 68; Hebrews 12:18-19,22-24a; Luke 14:1,7-14)

Last weekend, on the Bank Holiday Monday, was the 36^th anniversary of my family arriving down south to join me.  We moved into a house just across the road from St Michael’s Church in Tadley.  At milestones in life, we often think back at how we were at the time and how much things have changed since.  36 years ago we were a young couple setting out on an adventure, we had a baby girl who would soon be two years old and we had left behind our families in Scotland.  For me that was my parents, my two brothers and at the time I still had all four grandparents.  Growing up my parents and grandparents lived in the same area, so I would often see my maternal Grandmother (Granny Peggy) every day and my paternal Grandmother (Granny Maggie) a couple of times a week.  In my family I was the eldest grandson for both families, and they all lavished me with love.  Growing up both grandmothers would ensure that I had lots of presents at Christmas from my parents’ brothers and sisters, and when my brothers came along, they benefitted from this too until the rest of my aunts and uncles started having children of their own.

It was drummed into me about how important being the eldest was as my dad was an eldest son and my mum was the eldest daughter.  With the privileges granted to the eldest there came responsibility, I was expected to work hard at school, not get into trouble and look out for my younger brothers and cousins, setting a good example.  For me it was a loving environment and although my parents and grandparents were not well off, we wanted for very little.  I look back fondly at those times.  They made me feel really special and seeing how hard they all worked has had a lasting impression on me.

In many cultures being the first-born son secures rights and privileges, it is seen as carrying on the name, often they will inherit more than other siblings, even elder sisters.  Today in the western world we are gradually seeing the value in every person, but still there are injustices, in the workplace for example where despite legislation over several decades there are still cases where women are being paid less for doing the same work as men.  

In today’s readings we are asked to look at our behaviours.

How do we treat other people? 

Do we think of ourselves as better than other people? 

In the first reading from the Book of Sirach, we are encouraged to be humble in our dealings with other people as this will find favour with the Lord.  It warns against the sin of pride; saying there is no cure, calling it an evil growth. 

The humble person remembers their true place in life – a life which is only possible by the will of God – the humble person is more likely to think of others, more likely to see the message behind parables and more likely to listen and react when they hear the voice of wisdom.

The psalm used today turns upside down the supposed wisdom of man, it is crying out that those who may appear to be downtrodden or weak with little to celebrate will be celebrating more when they reach the presence of God.  God isn’t preparing a home for the rich; he has already prepared a home for the poor.

When we reach that home the 2^nd reading tells us we will be treated like first born sons, earlier I said how special I felt because of the way my parents and grandparents; who scrimped and saved for everything; looked after me, because I was an eldest son.

How much more special will we feel when God treats us as first-born sons? 

That is the message in today’s second reading. We will all be treated as first born sons when we reach Paradise, we will be placed beside the spirits of the saints who have been made perfect and to Jesus who has secured a new covenant for all who believe.

Our Gospel from St Luke tells us how we can secure our place in Paradise. We are not to take anything for granted, we are not to put ourselves first, we are to serve not expect to be served. We are not to assume we are more important than anyone else, after all God wants to treat us all as first-born sons.

There is even a lesson on how we should entertain, when we host a party. We are encouraged to invite those who are poor, crippled, lame and blind as they cannot pay us back.  Jesus says it is a blessing for us that they cannot pay us back as our reward is in heaven.

How often do we do this? 

If we are thinking in worldly terms, I would say that I am guilty of not doing this as often as I should, but as Christians we shouldn’t just think about the poor, crippled, lame and blind in worldly terms.  What about the poor in faith? Or those deaf to the Word of God?  What about our friends who are crippled by inaction or our family who offer lame excuses for no longer coming to Mass?  What about those who live for themselves and are blind to the suffering around them?  We invite them to our home, don’t we? 

If we can welcome them into our homes; with no expectation of a reciprocal invitation; then we have a chance to convince them to change their ways through the example we give, by our kindness, by our love and by our perseverance, this can give us hope that we will receive payment when the virtuous rise again.  

The Season of Creation starts with a World Day of Prayer for Creation on the 1^st September and runs until the Feast Day for St Francis of Assisi on October 4^th. In his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation 2025 , Pope Leo XIV writes that “now is the time to follow words with deeds….By working with love and perseverance, we can sow many seeds of justice and thus contribute to the growth of peace and the renewal of hope.” This is something which we all must be involved in. We all live in the world God created, we are all stewards in looking after the little bits of the world we have. If everyone did their bit, then the world would not be in the crisis it is currently going through. We might think that our bit won’t make a difference, but if everyone thought that then nothing would happen. It starts to start somewhere, why not with us?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[1]

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 525-526: the Incarnation as a mystery of humility
CCC 2535-2540: the disorder of concupiscence
CCC 2546, 2559, 2631, 2713: prayer calls for humility and poverty of spirit
CCC 1090, 1137-1139: our participation in the heavenly liturgy
CCC 2188: Sunday lets us share in the festal assembly of heaven

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• All those on holiday or who are travelling, that they have a safe trip and re-charge their batteries.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• Fr Patrick as he reaches his retirement, may God bless him for his many years of service.
• Fr Stephen as he prepares to come to the pastoral area and for the parishioners and relationships he leaves behind
• That a way to feed the starving in Gaza can be found that is fair and does not pose a danger to those who are starving or the aid workers.

Deacon Tony

29^th August 2025.

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

(Isaiah 66:18-21; Psalm 117; Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13; Luke 13:22-30)

One of the things I love about our Church here in North-West Hampshire is the diversity. In my ministry I get to meet people from all over the world. I see this as the fruits of the works of the original disciples who obeyed the words of Jesus and went out to the whole world and proclaimed the Good News. Six hundred years before Jesus, the prophet Isaiah foretold this to the Jewish people, and we have this as our first reading today. The Chosen People would be joined by people from all over the world; who would speak different languages and have different customs, some of them would look different and some of them would become priests. All of this is in the message we hear from Isaiah today.

This is supported by the message in the Letter to the Hebrews also used today, where we are reminded that we are sons and daughters of God, He created us, He loves us and when we stray from His path, He disciplines us. The word discipline comes from the same root as disciple, it is all about learning. Sometimes learning is painful, and this is highlighted in the passage used today for our second reading, but nonetheless it is necessary. I can recall being disciplined by my dad for being cheeky to my Grandad. My dad’s ways of discipline were from another era, left me in pain both physically and emotionally, and guaranteed that I was never cheeky to my grandad again. Now I am a grandad and trying to teach my grandchildren involves far more explanations than I was ever given. The emphasis from me to them is trying to keep them safe, which at the moment they accept.

The letter also encourages us to have the resolve to stay faithful to God despite any setbacks which we may endure in this world, so that God can get the great pleasure of keeping his promise to us in the next world.  Elsewhere in Scripture St Paul’s letter to the Romans says in chapter 5 ‘we rejoice in our sufferings’, now I don’t know anyone who rejoices in suffering, so why does St Paul ask us to rejoice in our sufferings? – It is because he knows that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character produces hope.  As Christians we hope in the Lord, and we hope to be saved.

In our Gospel today someone asks Jesus if only a few will be saved, Jesus doesn’t deal with the arithmetic, there is no specific restriction in numbers, however there are other restrictions.  Did you hear them in the Gospel?  The door will be narrow and it will eventually be locked.  Those who enter are those who the Master of the House recognises.  This message was a direct message to the Jews at the time, the Jews were the chosen ones, the first people to enter into a relationship with God.  Jesus was telling them – look if you don’t maintain our relationship then there are others who may want to form a new relationship.  This promise of God was opened up to us the Gentiles.  As Catholics we can sometimes be heard saying we are the first Christians, the original ones, we didn’t veer away from the Church Jesus founded through St Peter. Is it possible, if we don’t maintain our relationship with God, that this message is aimed directly at us too?  Remember the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

We hear Jesus encouraging us to use the narrow door. At first glance, this may appear to contradict the first reading where we have a broad range of people coming to the Holy Mountain Jersualem. The narrow door is about the choices we can make. As Christians we need to make our choices based on our Faith. The world today offers an abundance of choice, often making our choices more difficult. For example, I remember when the TV had only three channels, it was easy to decide which programme to watch and growing up, we as a family all watched the same programme. Nowadays, there are hundreds of channels, families seldom watch TV together, some programmes are streamed via the internet, and it is possible for several people to be in the same house and all watching different things in different parts of that house.

Another example would be if we had some money available to spend and had the choice between spending it on our self; putting ourselves first; or on helping someone else; putting someone else first; what would we choose to do? There are loads of choices to make to be self-indulgent, instant gratification in our throw away world, but there are also a multitude of people who need help, sometimes we can be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers who need help. But as Mother Teresa [St Teresa of Calcutta]  said, “if you can’t feed a hundred people then feed just one”.[1]

Jesus is telling us to narrow our choices, choose things in life which are life giving, which help to enrich one’s life or the lives of those we encounter. He also tells us the choices we make will determine whether we enter into His home or are cast aside to eternal punishment. Jesus is warning those who think they have a place at His table that nothing is guaranteed; we need to keep being faithful, keep serving, keep loving.

Today’s readings talk about spreading God’s Word Globally, there is also a warning in there for all of us, many will try to enter but few will succeed.  For those who can’t see the presence of God among them then there will be plenty of others willing to take their place.

How have we shared God’s Word this last week?

Is there anything we need to do differently this coming week?

What choices do we need to make to allow us to enter by the narrow gate?

Jesus is alerting us all, that if we fail to take our place in His Kingdom then there will be others invited. The choice is up to us.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church[2]

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 543-546: all called to enter the Kingdom
CCC 774-776: the Church as universal sacrament of salvation
CCC 2825-2827: do the Father’s will to enter the Kingdom
CCC 853, 1036, 1344, 1889, 2656: the narrow way

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• All those on holiday or who are travelling, that they have a safe trip and re-charge their batteries.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Those around us who have recently received their exam results, may they be aware of which direction God is guiding them towards.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• Fr Stephen as he prepares to come to the pastoral area and for the parishioners and relationships he leaves behind
• For the last session of the Alpha programme which takes place this week.
• That a way to feed the starving in Gaza can be found that is fair and does not pose a danger to those who are starving or the aid workers.

Deacon Tony

23^rd August 2025.

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[1] Mother Teresa Quotes About Helping Others | A-Z Quotes

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

(Jeremiah 38:4-6,8-10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53)

At first glance today’s Gospel looks as if Jesus is looking to destroy things we hold dear. He speaks about fire on the earth and wishing it was kindling already. This is not about destroying; quite the opposite. This is Jesus eagerly awaiting Pentecost and the riches which the Holy Spirit will bring to the earth. The fire is the tongues of fire which will appear above the heads of the disciples. These tongues of fire would be the sparks which initiate a movement which would engulf the earth. From a few men and women in Jerusalem the flames of faith have spread throughout the world and now Christianity is the largest movement globally and it continues to grow.

When Jesus spoke the words recorded in the Gospel, He was speaking to a people who held family as the centre of their lives. To be separated from one’s family was scandalous and for some was literally a death sentence. But Jesus knew that His teaching was challenging enough that for some they would have to break family bonds to follow Him. Nowadays the Church speaks up for family values. We speak about our Church family as well as the family we became part of, when we were born. We know how important it is for children to grow up in a stable home and of how, for some, this is not the reality. All the more important then that we, as a Church family provide a sincere and warm welcome to everyone; regardless of their family circumstances; we are not here to judge.

In our first reading today, we hear about the prophet Jeremiah being cast into a well and left to starve because he spoke the truth and some of his listeners did not appreciate the truth. Perhaps it was too close to home; a little bit uncomfortable to hear. We may sometimes find ourselves not liking what we hear; we may find it uncomfortable or challenging to listen to. But this uncomfortableness is pricking our conscience. These are the times when we need to look into our heart and ask ourselves, why does what I hear make me feel uncomfortable?

There are times when I am struggling with a task and Pam asks me, have you prayed about it? This makes me feel uncomfortable, reminding me that I can’t do everything under my own strength and that I need to take time out of my busyness to pray for the tasks I need to do. Quite literally to practice what I preach, and the theme of the psalm used today.

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, who writes for the Catholic Herald, says we can recognise God’s voice because it always does two things; ‘it challenges more deeply than any other voice and, at the same time, it offers a deeper consolation than any other voice.’ [1] He goes on to say, ‘When you hear a voice that deeply shakes you and yet, in another way, offers deep hope, a voice that both draws and upsets you, you are hearing a prophetic voice. 

Every prophet disturbs, but not everyone who disturbs is a prophet.  Fr Rolheiser points out that prophecy is characterised by love, he says “To be a prophet is to love the world and hope that you never have to get angry with it.  To be a prophet is to cry tears of love when you are angry.  To be a prophet is to get angry only to lead back to love.”

The prophets of the Old Testament are all pointing towards Jesus, they foretell the coming of our King.  The author of the letter to the Hebrews knew this well and points this out to his readers.  The early Church had to change people’s perceptions and turn the cross from a symbol of shame into a place where shame was overcome by Jesus. 

The author in the letter to the Hebrews tells us that Jesus totally disregards the shamefulness of the cross and transforms the cross as a place of shame into a place of victory. We are reminded that we need to continuously work at trying to be as perfect as Jesus; or at least the best we can, in our broken human state.. The writer acknowledges that we are burdened by sin and that sin is persistent as it clings closely to us. However, we have not to allow ourselves to be identified by our sin.

Through our baptism we are identified as Christians. While we are still sinners, we must not let the Accuser trick us into thinking we are any less than Christians. While sin is wrong it does not steal our identity as Christians. When we do sin, we are encouraged to repent and seek reconciliation. Jesus endured the shame of the cross to take away our sins. This sacrifice by Jesus, is meant to energise us in our fight against sin.

We know the Cross was not the end. We know that following the darkness of Good Friday we have the light and joy of Easter Sunday. Death is not the end; Jesus has conquered death and we as followers of Jesus live in the knowledge that Jesus wants us to be like Him. If we can live like the Son of God, then we can have a share of His inheritance.

Don’t allow the accuser to tell us anything different.

Just touching back to our Gospel, Jesus said He would cast fire on the earth.

How is that fire burning in you at the moment?

What is that calling you to do?

There is something happening in the world at the moment. Many people are feeling called to the Church. Some of these people may feel called because of what they see in you. These sparks of interest need to be protected; we need to fan these sparks into life and develop them into flames of faith. Everyone of us has a responsibility to do this.

We will be running classes starting next month to help people to seek Jesus. These classes are for people who are new to the Church and for anyone who wants to develop their faith further. Perhaps you haven’t received all of the Sacraments when you were younger and would like to become full members of the Church. If this is you, or you know someone this applies to, please see me or email me adarroch@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk

Please pray for the success of these classes.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 575-576: Christ, a sign of contradiction
CCC 1816: a disciple should witness to the faith with boldness
CCC 2471-2474: giving testimony to the truth
CCC 946-957, 1370, 2683-2684: our communion with the saints
CCC 1161: sacred images remind us of the “cloud of witnesses”

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• All those on holiday or who are travelling, that they have a safe trip and re-charge their batteries.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Those waiting on the results of academic exams, that they may be rewarded for the work they have put in and that whatever the results are they can see the path God wants them to take.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• Fr Stephen as he prepares to come to the pastoral area and for the parishioners and relationships he leaves behind
• For the ongoing success of the Alpha programme.
• That a way to feed the starving in Gaza can be found that is fair and does not pose a danger to those who are starving or the aid workers.
• Delilah, Miguel, Gabriel and Tochi who will be Baptised at St Bede’s this Sunday.

Deacon Tony

16^th August 2025.

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[1] Prophecy – Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMIFr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI

(Wisdom 18:6-9; Psalm 33; Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19; Luke 12:32-48)

Just over 100 years ago the soon to be Canonised Pier Giorgio Frassati wrote “The Faith given to me in baptism suggests to me surely: by yourself you will do nothing, but if you have God as the centre of all your action, then you will reach the goal“.[1] This short sentence sums up today’s scripture readings perfectly.

In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom we hear the confidence of faith in words like ‘known beforehand’, ‘sure knowledge’, ‘oaths in which they trusted’ ‘expected by your people’. These are not just words of hope these are words which demonstrate that these people believed in the promises of God and that they had certainty that God would deliver on His promises.

In the second reading we hear from the Letter to the Hebrews which outlines several acts of faith principally through the actions of Abraham and Sarah; all of these actions grounded in faith. The faith demonstrated by Abraham, is nothing short of remarkable. First of all, he believed God’s promise and set out on a journey not knowing where he was going. Do any of us know where our journey of faith will take us?  We know where we hope it will take us, but we have no idea of the adventures on the way. Next Abraham and Sarah trusted in God when they promised them an heir while they were elderly and that their offspring would number the stars in the sky and be as difficult to count as the grains of sand on the seashore. For man these things are impossible, but not for God, as Pier Giorgio said “by yourself you will do nothing, but if you have God as the centre of all your action, then you will reach the goal.”

However, it is in today’s Gospel; which picks up a theme from last week’s Gospel, where we heard about the wealthy man who built bigger barns to hoard his belongings; that we are reminded that where we see our treasure; that is where our heart will be. That will be where we focus our energies.

The disciples are urged to sell their possessions, to help them keep their whole focus on serving the Lord. They are encouraged to always be ready. This is not just a warning of not being caught out; this is a clear message to us to live out our faith. We are not meant just to come to Mass on Sunday and then go off and do whatever we please, this is not a ‘tick box exercise’.

If we look at ourselves carefully and honestly, can we really say that we are ready to face the Lord? I know that I need to work harder to be ready. Too often in the past and sometimes even now, I know that my focus has not been right. My attention is drawn to worldly things, possessions, gadgets, other ‘must have’ items, which do nothing to get me to my heavenly home. I can find myself wasting time by playing puzzles; time which could be better spent in prayer. I can fritter away time reading Facebook or Twitter; time which could be spent reading Scriptures. I wrote this last paragraph three years ago for these readings, and I’m sorry to say that I am disappointed to realise that I still have the same issues, maybe even worse. I need to work harder to put God at the centre of my life.

These things which drain time from my day are not life giving, I need to look at how I use my time and make changes.

Which activities drain time from your day?

Are any of these taking the place of time with Jesus or time with your loved ones?

Are these becoming the ‘treasure’ referred to by Jesus in the Gospel?

For me this is a wake-up call. I don’t seem to have made any headway in the last three years on this time wasting and I need to put my faith into action and develop my prayer life better. Jesus’ words towards the end of the Gospel reading ‘the servant who knew his master’s will but who did not get ready or act according to his master’s will’ and the last words ‘from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more’. Remind us that through our baptism we have been brought into God’s family, we have been entrusted with much. Through my marriage and ordination, I have been entrusted with even more.

Last week Pam and I were doing some work in the Garden, we had a plan and when what I thought was the only job was completed, Pam suggested starting another job. I was livid, thinking my day had been hijacked, but I kept the anger to myself, getting more and more frustrated and angry as the second job progressed. Pam couldn’t understand where this had come from, and eventually things came to a head. My anger and frustration was not life giving and was definitely not storing up treasure for me. This week just after I had completed my first draft of this reflection Pam asked me to help her with another job in the garden. Working on this reflection helped me to realise that Pam is one of my treasures and I need to make sure she knows I value her. The job this week was completed in a loving way, with nice conversations along the way instead of my cold silent anger from the week before. Maybe I am starting to learn.

If I am to live out my vocations fully, I need to make sure that I am prepared well for the day when the Bridegroom calls. For me this means using the time I have left more effectively.

When you hear God’s words today, what do you need to do to get ready to meet the Bridegroom?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 144-149: the obedience of faith
CCC 1817-1821: the virtue of hope
CCC 2729-2733: prayer as humble vigilance of heart
CCC 144-146, 165, 2572, 2676: Abraham, a model of faith

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• All those on holiday or who are travelling, that they have a safe trip and re-charge their batteries.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Those waiting on the results of academic exams, that they may be rewarded for the work they have put in and that whatever the results are they can see the path God wants them to take.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• Fr Stephen as he prepares to come to the pastoral area and for the parishioners and relationships he leaves behind
• For the ongoing success of the Alpha programme.
• That a way to feed the starving in Gaza can be found that is fair and does not pose a danger to those who are starving or the aid workers.

Deacon Tony

9^th August 2025.

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[1] The faith Pier Giorgio Frassati on Faith

(Ecclesiastes1:2, 2:21-23; Psalm 90; Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11; Luke 12:13-21)

Today we are asked to consider ‘’what are the things in our life which are really important?’ The answer to this can be different depending on what stage of life we are in. For example, I remember years ago, when I was struggling financially hearing a fellow parishioner say that money was not important. Inside I was thinking that it isn’t important until you don’t have enough to pay the bills; then it becomes really important. But that parishioner was right, there are far more important things in life, than money. For example, currently in Gaza, the wealthy are starving just as much as the poor, money cannot help the people imprisoned in Gaza, they are all being starved to death. The people are being punished for the acts of the terrorists, and those who are dealing out the punishment seem incapable of mercy. CafOD have issued an urgent appeal[1] for aid to help those suffering. In their appeal they quote Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem “Humanitarian aid is not only necessary — it is a matter of life and death,” he continued. “To refuse it is not merely a delay, but a sentence. Every hour without food, water, medicine or shelter inflicts profound harm.” They have also appealed directly to the Government to push for a ceasefire to allow the aid to be distributed.

In the first reading today, we hear the expression ‘vanity of vanities’, when I think of vanity I often think of pride, of admiring oneself or one’s achievements; but that is only part of what the author is trying to tell us. The word ‘vanity’ has been translated from the Hebrew word ‘hevel’ which means a breath or a vapour. Hevel is, in fact, one of several words the Hebrew Bible has for breath, including ruach (which also means wind and air) and neshama (breath of life, soul). But while ruach and neshama have profoundly positive connotations, referring to that which animates life and even God, heveldoes not. Instead, it highlights the negative qualities of breath — namely, its insubstantiality and transience.[2] For example in the Book of Genesis, the name given to Abel in Hebrew is Hevel, illustrating how short his life was when he was killed by his own brother. The reading is telling us that some of the things we worry about are so unimportant and short lived that we don’t need to worry about them; encouraging us to concentrate on what we need to do, to be closer to God.

Likewise in the second reading St Paul is encouraging us to think about things which lead us to Christ: to subdue earthly passions and desires, to be truthful with one another and to try and be like Jesus. We are urged to see each other as members of the Body of Christ. St Paul is saying it doesn’t matter where we started from, but it definitely matters how we finish.

In the Gospel we hear Jesus warn the voice in the crowd to ‘guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of one’s possessions.’ He is telling us not to be greedy and gives a parable of a wealthy man who when he had plenty decided to build additional stores to horde his wealth. Jesus highlights the folly of this when the wealthy man died that very evening and would never be able to enjoy his wealth. Jesus is telling us that wealth and possessions are hevel, temporary, gone in a breath.

One of the first thoughts I had when I read this week’s readings was of the adage of the man who plants a tree knowing that he will never sit in its shade. He is doing this for those who will come after him. His children or grandchildren will appreciate the shade and perhaps enjoy any fruit the tree bears. How much better the world would be if we all thought more about how we can help others than how we can help ourselves.

There are many things in our own lives which we would benefit from reviewing. What do we have that we no longer need and someone else could benefit from? How am I spending my time? Could I give some or more to others by volunteering or just lifting the phone to call a parishioner to see how their day, week or month is going? We often say that we don’t have the time to do something, yet I know from my own experience that it’s more about not making the time to do it! So from today, I encourage you to think on these readings, reflect and act on what you are prompted to do.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 661, 1042-1050, 1821: hope for a new heaven and a new earth
CCC 2535-2540, 2547, 2728: the disorder of covetousness

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• All those on holiday or who are travelling, that they have a safe trip and re-charge their batteries.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Those waiting on the results of academic exams, that they may be rewarded for the work they have put in and that whatever the results are they can see the path God wants them to take.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• Fr Stephen as he prepares to come to the pastoral area and for the parishioners and relationships he leaves behind
• For the ongoing success of the Alpha programme and the Holy Spirit Day this Sunday.
• That a way to feed the starving in Gaza can be found that is fair and does not pose a danger to those who are starving or the aid workers.
• Fr John as he heads off to Medjugorje and Fr Paul as he returns from his break.

Deacon Tony

31^st July 2025.

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[1] Gaza Crisis Appeal

[2] “All Is Vanity!” How to Understand Ecclesiastes’ Famous Lament | My Jewish Learning

(Genesis 20-32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:12-14; Luke 11:1-13)

Our scriptures today are full of encouragement for us to pray to God for our needs and the needs of our neighbours. In the first reading from the Book of Genesis we hear Abraham earnestly pleading for any just men who happen to live in Sodom or Gomorrah. God listens to his pleadings and offers to relent on the planned punishment; if the required number of just men could be found. As we know the only ones saved from those cities were Abraham’s nephew and his daughters, there being no-one else found worthy of being saved by God. Abraham’s prayers for those cities were intercessions; we use intercessory prayers at Mass and during the prayers of the Church.

The responsorial psalm also highlights the success of intercessory prayer with the phrase ‘On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.’ The psalmist recognising that God acts based on our petitions and that God as The Creator can do anything, especially when those He loves, ask Him to.

In the Gospel today we hear the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus gives them the words of the Our Father, teaching them and us to call God our Father. I will come back to the words of the Our Father later, but to continue on the theme of intercessory prayer; Jesus encourages us to ask the Father for our needs, especially if we are asking for the Holy Spirit to come into our lives. He emphasises that the Holy Spirit is the greatest of gifts; by previously describing the everyday needs that ‘evil’ people give as good gifts.

I read an article earlier this week on Facebook from James Terna[1] who described a free for all at a reception a few years ago. This free for all resulted in people fighting over the food available, leaving many of the smaller members of that community hungry. James reflected that when God heard the cry of the Israelites in the desert, he made a rule, they were to take only what they needed that day. This was to prevent some taking more than they needed and to ensure that everyone received their need. God also made what was left spoil overnight so that the people had to trust that God would provide again the next day.

James also asked his readers to reflect on why people are hungry in the world today when there is enough food for everyone? Why are people homeless whilst there are empty houses? And why do children die from simple disease when medicines are stored in warehouses? This is only too evident when we see the pictures coming out of Gaza this week of children starving to death and those who are fit enough and brave enough to go to the food collection points scrambling for the meagre portions which might keep their family alive, whilst trying to avoid being attacked or murdered when doing so.

James quoted Mahatma Gandhi who said, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” As someone with a weight problem I know I contribute to that. While we in the west look for ways to lose weight, those in the developing world are starving to death.

James suggests that even in our prayer life we can be greedy, asking for blessings that we would struggle to use. In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches us to ask God for our daily bread, not our weekly, nor our monthly bread, nor a lifetime’s supply. James says just today’s portion, enough to sustain us while we trust in God for the next day.

How much do we trust in God for our day-to-day needs?

This Sunday, being the Sunday closest to the feast day of St Joachim and St Anne is the fifth World Day for Grandparents and the elderly. In his first message for this day, Pope Leo says that the elderly are signs of hope and cites Abraham, Sarah, Zachariah, Elizabeth and Moses as Biblical references of hope. But he also says “Every parish, association and ecclesial group is called to become a protagonist in a “revolution” of gratitude and care, to be brought about by regular visits to the elderly, the creation of networks of support and prayer for them and with them, and the forging of relationships that can restore hope and dignity to those who feel forgotten. Christian hope always urges us to be more daring, to think big, to be dissatisfied with things the way they are. In this case, it urges us to work for a change that can restore the esteem and affection to which the elderly are entitled.”

As a Parish and Pastoral area, we need to ensure that the elderly are not excluded. Every parishioner has a role to play in making sure our older brothers and sisters are not forgotten about. Some of them are still very active in our Parish family, but what of those we don’t see very often nowadays? I’m sure they would welcome a phone call or a visit to just check in with them on how they are doing. This would be a start in making Pope Leo’s plan come to fruition. I would welcome any other ideas too. So why not have a chat with me after Mass or some time soon!.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2634-2636: prayer of intercession
CCC 2566-2567: universal call to prayer
CCC 2761-2772: the Lord’s Prayer as a synthesis of Gospel
CCC 2609-2610, 2613, 2777-2785: turning to God with persistence and filial trust
CCC 2654: lectio divina
CCC 537, 628, 1002, 1227: buried and risen in baptism

Chapter five of Pope Benedict XVI’s book “Jesus of Nazareth” – The Lord’s Prayer  

James Terna’s article in full https://www.facebook.com/groups/St.Therese.English/permalink/10163502679496774/

Message of the Holy Father for the 5th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, 2025: Blessed are those who have not lost hope (cf. Sir 14:2) (27 July 2025) | LEO XIV

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• All the clergy in our diocese who have agreed to take up new responsibilities from September onwards and those still discerning.
• For the ongoing success of the Alpha programme
• Ryan Brown who was ordained to the priesthood last weekend Emmanuel Chitu & Richard Martin due to be ordained to the permanent diaconate this weekend.
• That a way to feed the starving in Gaza can be found that is fair and does not pose a danger to those who are starving or the aid workers.
• Reuben, Zion, Elena and Akwasi who are being baptised this weekend at St Bede’s.

Deacon Tony

25^th July 2025.

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[1] https://www.facebook.com/groups/St.Therese.English/permalink/10163502679496774/

(Genesis 18:1-10a; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42)

Last week in our Gospel we were taught to treat a stranger as a neighbour, ensuring their needs are met. Jesus did this through the parable of the Good Samaritan. This week, in the passage which immediately follows last week’s Gospel, we have Jesus visiting the home of Martha and Mary. Martha is diligently looking after the needs of her visitors; Mary prefers to spend time with Jesus. Remembering that hospitality is not just about serving but also involves spending time with a guest, they were both being hospitable, just in different ways.

How easy it can be to fall into the trap of being busy, or of being too busy to miss important events going on around us. I can relate to this. Many years ago, as a young dad, I saw my main role as a provider. I volunteered for any overtime going at work, including Sundays. I would often seek out additional shifts in areas unrelated to my work and spend even more time away from my family. The result of this was missing some quality time with my family and missing out on the opportunity to be a good role model and take my children to church.

As Martha proves, even when you are serving the Lord you can miss out on what is really important. For me this is a Gospel which I can visualise. Mary sitting listening to Jesus and Martha rushing around, fussing and fretting. Martha eventually complains to Jesus, expecting him to encourage her sister to help her. Martha’s judgement of her sister is that she has abandoned her, perhaps accusing her of being lazy or at the very least inattentive to the work which she believes needs to be done. Jesus gently and lovingly rebukes her, note how He says her name twice, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’ Jesus wants us to spend time with Him; He doesn’t want us to be anxious or troubled. He wants us to give the best of ourselves, not the bit that is left over when we have done all the things we choose to do before spending time with Him.

Think back to the last week, have you chosen to be like Martha or Mary?

Do you put God first or do you choose to do other things before spending time with Him?

How might your choices change in the week ahead, having heard these readings today?

These readings were the readings used for the Mass when I was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate. For me, they speak of hospitality, ministry and service; with the added dimension of staying close to God. In the first reading Abraham provides hospitality and ensures his visitors are well looked after, he is also engaged in conversation with his ‘visitors’ and is able to hear the promise made to him and accepts the promise. In the second reading St Paul talks about the responsibility he has as a minister of the Church, of which he highlights ‘making the word of God fully known’, and in the Gospel, we have the conflict between two sisters one of whom serves and the other who basks in the presence of Christ.

For me these three readings highlight the life of a Permanent Deacon. We are called to be a deacon of the altar, a deacon of the Word and a deacon of charity. Like Abraham, we are close to the table [in our case the altar] as God becomes present. Like Paul, we are called to proclaim the Word of God to those we meet and in Martha, we are called to serve those in need and like Mary; we must ensure that the reason we do all this is to be close to Jesus, to form a relationship with Him and to listen when He speaks so that we have the Spiritual energy to serve in the way He has called us.

One last observation to share with you. I was at the St Bede’s Leavers Mass on Friday; a Mass I always find emotional. The first Mass after my ordination and my first Mass as a deacon at St Bede’s was the school leavers Mass. During this particular Mass on Friday, they played the hymn On Eagles Wings. I was reminded of one of my ordination gifts from a very dear couple; one of whom has now gone to the Lord. I know I can’t do what I do without being raised on eagles’ wings, my thoughts during the Mass reminded me of that couple and all of the others who have supported me during formation and since I was ordained.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2571: Abraham’s hospitality
CCC 2241: welcome the stranger
CCC 2709-2719: contemplation
CCC 618, 1508: sharing in Christ’s sufferings for his Body
CCC 568, 772: “the hope of glory” in the Church and in her sacraments

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, housebound or in hospital, that the care they receive matches all of their needs.
• Those waiting for the results of medical tests, examinations or scans, that the results can pinpoint the treatment they may need; or alleviate their fears.
• Our Pastoral Area as we continue to take the first steps towards moving from Maintenance to Mission.
• Peace in the world, and a de-escalation of the situations where war has already commenced or appears to be inevitable.
• All the clergy in our diocese who have agreed to take up new responsibilities from September onwards and those still discerning.
• For the families due to complete the Baptism preparations sessions this weekend.
• For the ongoing success of the Alpha programme
• Ryan Brown due to be ordained to the priesthood this weekend Emmanuel Chitu & Richard Martin due to be ordained to the permanent diaconate next weekend

Deacon Tony

18^th July 2025.