Category: Deacon Tony reflects

[Revelation 7:2-4,9-14; Psalm 24; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a]

We are often encouraged to place ourselves within the Sacred Scriptures that we read or listen to. Today’s first reading is one where we hope we are actually among the ‘great multitude … standing before the Throne and before the Lamb’. This book was written towards the end of the First century when Christians were being persecuted by the Roman Empire and citizens were being encouraged to worship the Emperor as their Lord. We have similar choices today. Do we accept God as our Lord or are we attracted and distracted by the ways of the world? Do we seek the riches available in this world or in the next?

The guidebook for the next world is found in today’s Gospel. In the Beatitudes we hear Jesus give eight ways we can welcome God into our lives. Notice how the first and the last Blessings are bookended with ‘theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew’s beatitudes concentrate on the spiritual attitudes we should all seek to receive these blessings; and by implication, enter the kingdom of Heaven. The beatitudes are like a self-portrait of Jesus, who came from heaven to save us and ascended back to heaven after He rose from the dead. During his life of Ministry, He showed us how to love our neighbour, look out for the poor, visit the sick, embrace those who were shunned by others, and above all else to be merciful. Jesus as the architect of love, taught us how to love; by being selfless; instead of our tendency to be selfish.

The second reading today is from the first letter of St John, where he reminds us that we are children of God here on earth, and that our full character and personality will not be revealed until Jesus comes again, when we shall be like him. St John is reminding us that we are created in His image and likeness, and we are to do all we can to be like Him on earth; by following His commandments and His example. By doing this we will be living out the Beatitudes and God willing, enter His kingdom, when He comes again.

The readings today, are a further example that our faith is not just words in a book, or words spoken by Jesus and the disciples. Our Faith is one which demands a response to what we read and hear. We are not just to feel sympathy for the downtrodden, we are supposed to lift them up from their current state and encourage them to be like Christ too.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[1]

The Solemnity of All Saints

CCC 61, 946-962, 1090, 1137-1139, 1370: the Church, a communion of saints
CCC 956, 2683: the intercession of the saints
CCC 828, 867, 1173, 2030, 2683-2684: the saints, examples of holiness

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.
• The success of this weekend’s Diaconal conference.
• For the success of the forthcoming Christians Against Poverty [CAP] money-coaching sessions, here at St Bede’s.
• Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• The souls in Purgatory, especially those with no one to pray for them.

Deacon Tony

31^st October 2025.

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

[Sirach 35:15b-17,20-22b; Psalm 34; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Luke 18:9-14]

I visited an elderly lady recently; she was brought up as a Catholic and was devout. Her whole life changed when her husband left her, and she found herself left alone. She sought solace in her Parish community but said that she had to leave because she felt judged and ostracised. Now I wasn’t there, so I don’t know the full story behind any of what I have just written, but I could hear the pain in her voice and see the tears well up as she described her hurt. This was not a Parish within our Pastoral Area; I would hope that we would be more understanding and supportive to someone who found themselves in that situation.

In the Gospel we hear today, Jesus describing a similar situation. We have the pharisee pumped up by pride putting himself front and centre before God; boasting about how good he is compared to others. We also have the tax collector, seeking mercy, because he can see his own faults, he is approaching God in humility; we don’t know whether he pays any tithes or how much he does to help others, however, he is putting God first. Jesus is teaching us to be more like the man seeking mercy than the pharisee who judges everyone else and proudly lists how he sees himself as being better than they are.

I have lost count of the times I have heard people comment that someone must be good because they go to church. Some of those who do not come to church assume we think we are better than they are. Nothing could be further from the truth. We come to church, because we are sinners, we all need to seek the same mercy as that tax collector. None of us has the right to judge anyone else, and yet we do. We can all slip into behaviours which are judgemental. The late Canon Frank O’Sullivan, a priest I admired very much, described this as follows – “It is so easy to compare ourselves with others in ways which lead us to think we are better than they are. You can see yourselves as being more happily married, being better off, more loving and caring, even better Christians. Pride easily rears its ugly head. Sometimes comparing has the opposite effect. We can see ourselves as inferior, of less worth or value. This in turn can lead to envy and jealousy. Humility means knowing the truth about ourselves. This truth is that every person is unique, is created by God and is loved by God. Each human being is someone Jesus died for.”[1]

‘Humility means knowing the truth about ourselves’. When we look at the two men in the parable, which of the two, knew the truth about themselves?

When we come to church, how do we come before God?

Do we come as someone who knows the truth about themselves or do we put on ‘a front’?

Earlier this year on Easter Sunday, I decided to attend Mass with my wife, Pam, at another church outside of the Pastoral Area. I found myself at the back surrounded by families of various ages. I was totally distracted by the antics of some of those around me. I turned to Pam and she said this is what it can be like in the pews. My disappointment was compounded that the adults’ behaviour was just as poor as the children; if anything, the younger children were behaving better than the teenagers, and the adults were doing nothing to correct poor behaviours. I was guilty that day of judging those around me. I know nothing of their ‘truth’. They may have had to battle to get their children to Mass and the behaviour could have been what they were prepared to tolerate if it meant their children came to Mass with them.

We can all be guilty of judging others at times. Jesus is urging us to look more at ourselves and not at others. He is asking us to come to Him with humility, to acknowledge our sins, seek His forgiveness and be filled with His Grace. Only then can we enter fully into a relationship with our Creator; which after all is why we were created in the first place.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[2]

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 588, 2559, 2613, 2631: humility as the foundation of prayer
CCC 2616: Jesus hears prayer made in faith
CCC 2628: adoration as the attitude of man who knows he is a creature
CCC 2631: prayer for pardon as the first kind of prayer of petition

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.
• Our politicians and leaders that they look out for the poor, the lost and the lonely when they are making deals.
• Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• For those who feel rejected by the Church, that they can be welcomed back home where they belong.

Deacon Tony

25^th October 2025.

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[1] Canon Frank O’Sullivan, Piercing the clouds with our humble prayers, taken from I am with You Year C, [TWO in ONE FLESH, Caterham, 2012] 122.

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

(Exodus 17:8-13; Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8)

One of the great comforts from living as a Catholic is that I know I am not alone. I know there have been times in my life when I have been dependent on the prayers from my brothers and sisters in Christ; because I know I cannot do everything under my own strength. We see in today’s 1^st reading an illustration of this, when Moses knew he had to keep the staff of God elevated and he needed the support of Aaron and Hur. By working together, in communion and faith, they received God’s help to defeat their enemy.

The psalm speaks about faith too as we repeat the words ‘Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.’ The psalm speaks of God protecting us, keeping us upright and on the right track, protecting us from evil.

In St Paul’s letter to Timothy, he reminds us to pass on the faith using scripture, stating that all of holy scripture is inspired by God.  We are to use scripture to teach and to refute error.  We are to use scripture to guide our lives and to teach us to become holy. Through scripture St Paul tells us we can become fully equipped and ready for good work.

The Gospel this week has direct teaching from Jesus.  He teaches on the need to be persistent when we pray, to not give up just because we think our prayers have not been answered. He gives the example of a judge, who doesn’t seem to have the necessary qualities to be a judge as he has ‘neither fear of God nor respect for man’. This judge was plagued by a poor widow seeking justice, he refused her justice until he realised that it would be the best thing to do to suit himself.

To gain a little bit of context to this Gospel passage, I read a passage from Dr Arthur Zannoni, who is a teacher and theologian specialising in Christian-Jewish relations, he wrote, “in ancient Israel, the duty of a judge was to maintain harmonious relations and to arbitrate disputes between Israelites. Widows were deprived of the support of a husband, yet they couldn’t inherit their husband’s estate, which passed to the deceased man’s sons or brothers. Disputes involving widows and orphans were common. Judges were charged with the responsibility of hearing complaints fairly and impartially, a duty that was all the more important because they judged cases without the benefit of a jury. The judge’s responsibility within the covenant community, was to declare God’s judgement and establish ‘shalom’, peace, among God’s people.”[1]

The judge in the parable, eventually realised that if he heard the widow’s pleas and granted her wish he could have an easier life. Jesus is not teaching us how to have an easier mind or a clear conscience here. Jesus is telling us that if an unrighteous judge can give in to persistence, how much more likely it is, that our loving God who is the just judge, will grant the requests of those who persist in their appeal to Him.

Last Sunday after one of the Masses, I met a lady from California who was passing through Basingstoke [visiting her niece, who is a Parishioner here] on her way to a pilgrimage in Lanciano in Italy. This lady told me about the Eucharistic miracle which has been evident for more than 1200 years there. It dates back 750 AD when a priest doubted the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Before his eyes, the Sacred Host visibly changed into a circle of Flesh and the consecrated wine was transformed into bright red Blood. Over the centuries these have been subjected to analysis which proves the flesh is real human flesh and the blood is real human blood. I asked the lady to pray for me whilst there, she agreed as long as I shared word of this miracle and asked me to pray for her whilst on her pilgrimage. This miracle is one of the many documented by St Carlo Acutis[2] in his website, which is still accessible today. This newly canonised Saint started his website at the age of 10 to document approved Eucharistic miracles. He died from Leukaemia in 2006 at the age of 15. Last month, his parents were present alongside thousands of others when the Church declared him to be a saint.

The Catechism quotes other saints’ attitude to prayer, for example St Therese of Lisieux wrote, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” And St John Damascene wrote, “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or requesting of good things from God.” And St Augustine said, “man is a beggar before God.”

In the Intercessions or the Prayers of the Faithful, we make petitions to God for our world, our Church and our loved ones. We are like the poor widow. We may be seeking justice, we may be seeking healing, we may be pleading on behalf of someone else, whatever our prayer, we are being encouraged to persist to stay faithful, trust in God, read the scriptures, pray, pray and pray again.

Don’t give up. God is with us. God can do anything. God answered the prayers of Moses in the Old Testament, God answered the prayers of the Apostles in the New Testament and God continues to answer prayers today.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[3]

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2558-2565; Prayer in the Christian Life

CCC 2574-2577: Moses and prayer of intercession
CCC 2629-2633: prayer of petition
CCC 2653-2654: the Word of God, a source of prayer
CCC 2816-2821: “Thy kingdom come”
CCC 875: urgency of the preaching task

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.
• Our politicians and leaders that they look out for the poor, the lost and the lonely when they are making deals.
• Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother” which starts on Monday.

Deacon Tony

18^th October 2025.

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[1] Arthur E Zannoni, Tell Me Your Story, The Parables of Jesus,[Liturgy Training Publications, Chicago, IL, 2002]108.

[2] Miracoli Eucaristici lanciano

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

(2 Kings 5:14-17; Psalm 98; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19)

Like many of you who are parents or Grandparents, occasionally we have to remind our grandchildren to say please when they ask for something and thank you when they have received something. It is one of the little things we do to help our youngsters to fit into the expectations of society. Thank You! Two little words that can mean so much.  When we are grateful for something we say thanks or thank you.  Often, we say it without even thinking, for example when a shopkeeper gives us our change.  Good manners dictate that we show our gratitude.  We can also become quite upset if we believe that we deserve thanks and the appreciation or acknowledgement is not forthcoming.

In today’s readings we have examples of both.  If we read earlier in the Book of Kings we discover that Naaman was a pagan commander of the Syrian Army, he had already visited Israel, waging war, gathering goods and chattels and enslaving some of the people.  When he was struck down by leprosy, he was desperate for a cure and was told about the prophet Elisha by his wife’s Israelite slave.  So, he returned to Israel, this time not to wage war but to be cured of leprosy. Elisha sent a message to Naaman to bathe seven times in the river Jordan, he was furious at first, but he was persuaded to follow Elisha’s instructions and as we hear in our first reading today, he was cured.

Rather than return home, he sought out Elisha to thank him and offer a reward, Elisha refused all offers of reward knowing that he was only God’s messenger, it was God who cured the Syrian.  He did, however, allow Naaman to take some soil from the land home with him to build a shrine to the one true God.

In our Gospel we hear of another foreigner showing gratitude for his miraculous cure from leprosy.  The only one among the ten cured lepers, who actively sought out Jesus to thank him.  Jesus is mystified, weren’t there ten of you?  Where are the others?  No doubt the others were grateful, but the Samaritan was the only one to show his gratitude. 

The Gospel reading reminds us of how Jesus heals us of our Spiritual wounds in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Every time we approach the Confessional for forgiveness, we are like the ten lepers seeking healing. Jesus healed all of the lepers and allowed them to rejoin the Community. Reminding us, the Sacrament of Reconciliation reconciles us with God and our Community. Our penance afterwards not only allows us to repay God’s love but is a moment when we can thank God for the forgiveness He offers. I usually say a prayer for the priest who celebrates the Sacrament for me in addition to the penance I have been given, it is my way of showing gratitude for his time spent celebrating the Sacrament.

Pope Francis when preaching on these readings points out “Significantly, Naaman and the Samaritan were two foreigners. How many foreigners, including persons of other religions, give us an example of values that we sometimes forget or set aside!  We have just returned from a holiday in Morocco, a Muslim country. I was really impressed by the regular call to prayer which Islam has, it was also at a suitable time for me to say my Morning and Evening Prayers, bringing Pope Francis’ words to life for me.

The message in today’s second reading picks up a theme from last week’s readings. St Paul is encouraging us to remain faithful no matter what happens in our lives. By maintain our faith we may attain eternal Glory.

So, perhaps we can have a look at any recent times when we have found our faith tested. If there are no instances recently then maybe have a look further back.

What was the cause of our testing?

How did we restore our faith?

Have we thanked God for His part in restoring our faith?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[1]

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 1503-1505, 2616: Christ the healer
CCC 543-550, 1151: signs of the Kingdom of God
CCC 224, 2637-2638: thanksgiving
CCC 1010: the Christian meaning of death

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] 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)

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