Category: Deacon Tony reflects

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” These are the words in the Entrance Antiphon today and the Latin version gives us the name Gaudette Sunday. We are getting closer to Christmas Day. Advent is a time when we look back at the first Christmas Day and make sure we are preparing for the day when Jesus will return to earth in glory.

In our first reading, the prophet Isaiah; writing in dark times for the Israelites; is full of promise and optimism. In this darkness, he is offering light, because he is announcing that God is coming to deliver the Chosen people from their despair. Notice he talks about the eyes of the blind being opened, the deaf having their ears unblocked, the lame leaping for joy and the mute singing praises.

The psalm pleads for the Lord to come and save us, feeding the hungry, giving justice to the oppressed, setting prisoners free. Again, we hear about the blind having their sight restored and the Lord reversing the status quo, lifting the downtrodden, looking out for the stranger and those in need.

In the second reading we hear from St James, who encourages us to be patient. His words are comforting in that he uses homely words to encourage our patience and also discomforting reminding us that the judge is waiting.

The Gospel tells us about the time when John the Baptist is imprisoned. He sends his followers to ask Jesus if he is The One. Jesus, very aware of the prophecies of Isaiah, tells them to report back what they have seen – the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, the mute speak and the dead are raised up. Think how John must have felt when he heard this. Although he was in jail, he must have been thrilled to learn that the Messiah was here, that God had delivered on his promises and that he had indeed prepared the way of the Lord.

Now in 2025, how do we prepare for the Lord? There are so many people blind to the ways of Jesus, how can we help them to see?

There are others who are deaf to the sound of God’s voice; including members of our own families. How can we help to open their ears to hear?

There are lots of hungry people in the world, some desperate for food, others desperate to be fed by the Word of God, how are we helping to feed them?

At the end of the day we will all die.

What are we doing to make sure that we and our loved ones are among those who will rise again in Christ?

Happy Gaudette Sunday!

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Third Sunday of Advent

CCC 30, 163, 301, 736, 1829, 1832, 2015, 2362: joy
CCC 227, 2613, 2665, 2772: patience
CCC 439, 547-550, 1751: Jesus performs messianic signs[1]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• 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 and especially our Advent session this weekend.
• 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 Pastoral Area Reconciliation Service on 19^th December at St Joseph’s Basingstoke.

Deacon Tony

12th December 2025.

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

Last Thursday I was at the School Reconciliation Service at St Anne’s School in South Ham, Basingstoke. For those that don’t know the school it is a lovely little school, which puts Christ at the centre of everything it does. During the service we used an abridged version of the Gospel we use today, and Fr Paul Leonard asked the children some questions to help ensure they understood the message behind the Gospel. As a clergy team we were impressed by the quality of the answers.

In that Gospel we hear St John the Baptist cry out to us all ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ The children at St Anne’s were preparing by attending the Reconciliation Service, with the older children celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation with our Pastoral Area priests. I’ve said many times before, that we are called to have a childlike faith. With that in mind:

How are we preparing?

What are we doing to make His paths straight?

The first reading today, from Isaiah, gives us an image of what heaven will be like. It is a place where all of God’s creatures are safe. We struggle to visualise this; as in our human state we cannot imagine, for example allowing a child to play next to a snake. Our God given instinct would not allow us to trust the snake’s God given instinct. But Isaiah is telling us that heaven is different. In heaven we are different too. In heaven we become new creations.

St Paul tells us that what we read in Scriptures and the things we have been taught are so that we might have hope. If we could use one word to describe Advent, it is hope. Our hope is not just blind optimism, our hope is that we believe in the promises Jesus made to us that He will always be with us, and that He will come again.

I watched a video recently where a priest in the USA, Fr Joseph Krupp, described our journey to heaven as being like when we set off for a location we do not know and we need to use our Sat Nav. The Sat Nav to heaven is Holy Scriptures, our Catechism, the teachings of the Fathers of the Church etc. Now when I set off on a journey from home to a place I don’t know, I often believe that I know the local roads better than my Sat Nav, so I will use the short cuts. In the early days of Sat Navs, before I started using my mobile phone the display would pause and say ‘recalculating’ and the device would work out another route and calculate the distance and the new arrival time. On our journey to heaven, we often think that we know a better way, or we get distracted and go down the wrong path, this is when the Holy Spirit starts to recalculate how we get back on to the right road, because God wants us to reach heaven, He doesn’t want us to get lost. The thing here is, are we listening to the ‘recalculated route’ or are we so intent on doing our own thing, that we miss some wonderful opportunities? Fr Joseph said that the reason God doesn’t want any of us to be lost, is that God doesn’t see us the way we see ourselves when we look in the mirror. God sees us as the new creations He will make us into, when we reach our Eternal Home.

Advent, in a similar way to Lent, allows us to look at ourselves in the mirror and be honest with ourselves. There are things in our life that we are not proud of, we all make mistakes, we all take wrong turns. But these Church seasons give us an opportunity to reconnect with God, to allow us to listen for that small voice to say ‘recalculating’ and to follow the route back to our promised destination. Today, we need to ask ourselves are we taking the time we have been given to ‘recalculate’? Are we learning from our mistakes?

Where is God guiding me?

In all of our busyness`, the true reason for Advent is being drowned out by the sound of cash registers and Christmas music in the shops. Whilst celebrating this wonderful season is important, let’s not get carried away with the secular empty promises and let’s set our direction on making this is the best preparation time we’ve ever made.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Advent

CCC 522, 711-716, 722: the prophets and the expectation of the Messiah
CCC 523, 717-720: the mission of John the Baptist
CCC 1427-29: conversion of the baptised[1]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• 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.
• Success of the last session of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• The Pastoral Area Reconciliation Service on 19^th December at St Joseph’s Basingstoke.

Deacon Tony

5^th December 2025.

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

The Gospel used today, to explain the Kingship of Jesus marks the return of Satan at the end of Christ’s Ministry. We are very aware of how Satan tempted Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, when after forty days there were the three temptations, one of which was to make Jesus the King of all the world if He would only swear allegiance to the tempter. In today’s Gospel we have the three mockings.  The first is the rulers, who fail to see the Crucifix as the throne it has become as they scoff ‘If he is the Christ of God let him save himself.’ The soldiers’ parody the royal cup bearers offering Jesus sour wine saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.’ Even one of the other criminals on the cross next to Him, had a go ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.’ There was also the mocking notice pinned to the cross stating ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ This notice was meant to demonstrate the power the Romans exercised throughout their empire; where they slaughtered existing rulers and put their own puppets in place. If they would do this to a king, what would they do to anyone else who wanted to challenge their authority.

As Jesus said during his interrogation by Pilate, His is not a kingdom of this world. The other criminal was inspired by the Holy Spirit to recognise this and asked Jesus to remember him when He came into his Kingdom. Jesus gave the criminal the reprieve of all reprieves. He started the day a condemned man, he finished it with an assurance that he would join Jesus in paradise.

This encounter has been described as ’the moment of revolution in human history. The moment of revelation, when we see the sin of the world in all its sneering thuggery doing its best to crush love and we see at the same time the forgiveness of God offered to humanity.’[1] What looks like the man Jesus being executed on the Cross, is at the same time the Divine Jesus conquering death. The serpent’s head is being crushed. Jesus is not like an earthly king. He is the Universal King; He is the Word who brought the Earth into being. Now as He hangs on the Cross, He asks His Father to forgive those who are killing Him. Right to the end of His life, Jesus is showing us how to live. In the prayer He gave us, He said ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…. forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ As He prepared to go to His Father’s Kingdom, He was still forgiving.

In the second reading, St Paul tells us that Jesus is the first born of all creatures and is the image of the invisible God. He highlights that Jesus’ ministry was all centred around love and the forgiveness of sins. The Cross is the ultimate sign of Christ’s love for us.

During a discussion at RCIA recently one of the participants relayed a conversation they had around what Jesus was thinking in the Garden of Gethsemane. If you remember this was a time when He sweated blood, knowing what He was about to go through. The answer really hit home for me when he said, during the Passion, Jesus was thinking about you and me. He disregarded the pain He was going to suffer; all of His focus was on fulfilling the wishes of His Father to save you and me. So that we can become like Him and enter His Kingdom.

In the Preface for today’s Mass we are told what His Kingdom is like, ‘a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace.’ This is a kingdom which we are all called to build up in this life before we reach fulfilment in the next. The Gospel today tells us that the Cross was not the end for Jesus. Jesus turned the world upside down, the Cross became His throne, something we need to remember, be grateful for and be prepared to accept the crosses we are asked to carry. The crosses we carry are our route to heaven, we need to carry our burden obediently just as Jesus did; and fulfil the will of the Father.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Solemnity of Christ the King: Christ the origin and goal of history

CCC 440, 446-451, 668-672, 783, 786, 908, 2105, 2628: Christ as Lord and King
CCC 678-679, 1001, 1038-1041: Christ as Judge
CCC 2816-2821: “Thy Kingdom Come”[2]

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• 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.
• 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.
• Craig & Bob who will be Confirmed in the Catholic Church this Sunday at St Bede’s.
• Santiago, Natalia and Uriel who will be baptised at St Bede’s Church this Sunday.

Deacon Tony

22^nd November 2025.

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[1] Maria Power and Raymond Friel, Breaking the Word Sundays, The Pastoral Review Vol 21 Issue 4. [The Tablet Publishing Company, London 2025]81.

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

[Jeremiah 1:4-9; Psalm 96; 2 Corinthians 3:1-6a; John 21:15-17]

There are times when I sit down to write my reflections when I don’t know what I am going to write and am stuck for ideas. I usually always start with a prayer which asks God to guide me in what I write. In faith, I pray that what ends up written, has been influenced by the answer to my prayers.

In the first reading today, we hear the prophet Jeremiah, plead with the Lord, that because of his youth, he doesn’t know what to say. I can’t use youth as an excuse, but my prayer asks God to tell me what to say. The LORD’s answer to Jeremiah dismisses his youthfulness and promises him that he shall be given the words to say, when they need to be spoken. This is a reminder to us of the words Jesus spoke to the disciples when He said ‘do not worry about what to say, what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes’ [Matt 10:19].

St Paul, in an extract from his 2^nd letter to the Corinthians, used today, tells us that the Holy Spirit is The Authority, and that when we share the Good News, we have the Spirit in our hearts. How wonderful is that?

The Gospel used today is one of my favourites. This is when Jesus gives St Peter the opportunity to revoke his three denials during the Christ’s Passion. By simply asking him, ‘Do you love me?’  Peter’s responses each time, give an insight into Peter’s awareness of Jesus’ Divinity, ‘Yes Lord, you know that I love you. Every day, Jesus asks us the same question – “Do you love me?” Our response is not just to be spoken; our response is to be lived out by our actions. For the times when we fail in our desire to love God, we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we go and ask for absolution, we are reminded of the love Christ has for us. When we say the Act of Contrition, we express our desire to love Jesus; by changing the ways we have behaved.

Through John’s Gospel we know that Jesus forgave Peter. By Jesus’ response, we know what we need to do to show our love; we are to feed the hungry [lambs] tend those in need [sheep] and feed His flock by sharing the Good News. This isn’t just something for the ordained to do. In our Baptism we were made priest, prophet and king; we have a duty to share the Good News by what we say and what we do. The Saints who have gone before us are examples for us, of how to put our faith into action. Like St Edmund, co-patron of our Diocese, we are called to be faithful to the teachings of Holy Scriptures.

Further Reading

St Edmund Rich was born at St Edmund’s Lane, Abingdon, on 20 November, probably in the year 1175. His father was a rich merchant, hence the surname (which he never in fact used himself). Under the influence of his mother he led an ascetic life. He studied at Oxford and Paris, and became a teacher in about 1200 or a little earlier. For six years he lectured on mathematics and dialectics, apparently dividing his time between Oxford and Paris, and winning distinction for his part in introducing the study of Aristotle. He is the first known Oxford Master of Arts, and the place where he taught was eventually renamed St Edmund Hall.

Between 1205 and 1210 he changed direction, studying theology and being ordained a priest. He took a doctorate in divinity, and soon won fame as a lecturer on theology and as an extemporaneous preacher. Some time between 1219 and 1222 he was appointed vicar of the parish of Calne in Wiltshire and Treasurer of Salisbury Cathedral, and finally became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1233. He was a notable and effective reforming Bishop. His love for discipline and justice aroused opposition, and he found himself ranged against Rome as champion of the national Church. Eventually, like his predecessors St Thomas Becket and Stephen Langton, he retired to Pontigny, where he is buried. He died at Soisy-Bouy on 16 November 1240.

Devotion to him was especially marked at Abingdon, and at Catesby where his sisters were both nuns. Edmund was canonised in 1246, and is the Joint-Principal Patron of the Diocese of Portsmouth.

He is venerated as a vigorous and reforming bishop and as a peacemaker, as well as being a distinguished commentator on the Scriptures and an effective spiritual writer.[1]

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

14^th November 2025.

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[1] Copyright © 1996-2025 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

On April 16^th, 2019, one of the most famous Cathedrals in the world burned. There was a global sharp intake of breath as we all watched with horror as the roof collapsed. In the days that followed, surveyors, politicians and high-ranking clergy gathered to survey the damage, as the once great building was left in a pile of rubble and ashes. There were promises made that the building would be restored, it was after all a symbol of national pride, as the Chief architect Phillippe Villeneuve said, “Notre-Dame is not just a cathedral, it is a living testimony of the history of France, a symbol of Parisian resilience, and a masterpiece of Gothic art. Every stone, every stained glass, every sculpture bears witness to a bygone era that cannot be ignored.”[1] Just over five years later, thanks to the success of the financial appeal and an army of artisan workers, the Cathedral reopened and now stands proudly again as a monument to French history and to God.

Today, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, we celebrate a building which has a greater significance to the people of Rome and indeed Christians everywhere; not only an historic building but the deeper mystery it signifies: God’s living temple, the Church. The Lateran stands as the mother and head of all churches, a visible sign of the Church’s unity in Christ. Yet the true temple is not built of stone — it is formed by the hearts of believers in whom Christ dwells through the Holy Spirit.[2]

In the first reading we hear the prophet Ezekiel, describing the Temple, if we were to read the full text we would hear how he paced the whole area and found himself going through deeper and deeper water, until it reached a depth and flow rate which he could not cross. The flowing water symbolises the outpouring of God’s grace available to all believers. It is through this grace that we are energised spiritually, enabling us to love even when it hurts. This flowing water reached down to the Dead Sea, restoring life to a place where there was none. Again, the symbolism involved tells us that with God’s grace we can be restored, and it is never too late for anyone.

In the second reading we hear St Paul, telling us that we are the Church, through the grace God has given us. Our solemn duty is to build upon the foundations laid by Jesus. We are not to be passive members of God’s Church, we are called to be active, loving God and our neighbours. By sharing God’s love, we build up the Church. He also calls upon us to protect God’s temple, which is us as individuals and as our Community. We should never do anything which will harm our Community, we need to love ourselves and our neighbour.

The Gospel reading from St John tells the story of when Jesus drove the money lenders and traders from the Temple. A little bit of background on this. Passover was the most important of the Jewish feasts. According to the Law of Moses, every male Israelite over the age of twelve had to “appear before the Lord God” (Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16), which resulted in the custom of making an annual pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Roman coins, the currency of the day, were stamped with the head of Caesar (who considered himself a deity) and sometimes with the images of other pagan gods. As such, they were unfit for paying the temple tax, and so money-changing became a practical necessity.

Likewise, pilgrims, not being able to bring animals from home, needed access to animals for sacrifice. This led to a second necessary service: the selling of animals in the temple precincts.

This trading activity had moved from the outer courts into the temple precincts, crowding the sacred space and turning worship into commerce.

As a faithful Jew, Jesus would have witnessed this spectacle many times throughout his life. Why did he wait until now to take action? This is the first Passover after Jesus’ baptism. Having just entered his public ministry, Jesus now reveals divine authority and zeal for authentic worship.[3]

Jesus, as He announces himself is cleansing the Temple of corrupt practices. The authorities would have ‘licensed’ the traders permitted inside the temple precincts; this would have provided an income for some of them. Jesus, at the start of His Ministry is declaring that God’s ways don’t always align with man’s ways.

When He is asked for a sign to support his actions, He declares that He will destroy this temple and rebuild it in three days. The authorities saw this as impossible as it had taken 46 years to construct the temple building. Jesus was not talking about the building, but about himself. Now, as followers of Christ, and remembering what St Paul said in the second reading, we too are temples, we are called to be like Christ.

November is a month where we remember our Dead, we are obliged to pray for them in the hope that they will be granted a merciful judgement and delivered from their sin [CCC1032]. In turn, when we die, we will need the prayers of those we have left behind to grant us the same blessings. The local clergy will be blessing the graves at Worting Road Cemetery on Sunday afternoon.

Further Reading

The Lateran Basilica was built by the Emperor Constantine on the Lateran Hill in Rome in about 324. The feast of its dedication has been celebrated in Rome on this date since the twelfth century. In honour of the basilica, “the mother and head of all the churches of the City and the World”, the feast has been extended to the whole Roman Rite as a sign of unity and love towards the See of Peter, which, as St Ignatius of Antioch said in the second century, “presides over the whole assembly of charity”.[4]

Nov 9, 2025: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (ABC) – Sunday Readings

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 those attending the RCIA programmes
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• For the success of the 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

8^th November 2025.

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[1] Why rebuild Notre-Dame identically: revelations from the chief architect

[2] Nov 9, 2025: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (ABC) – Sunday Readings

[3] Nov 9, 2025: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (ABC) – Sunday Readings

[4] Copyright © 1996-2025 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

[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