Category: Deacon Tony reflects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Lent

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

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

27^th February 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

The same tempter, involved with vastly different results.

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

How do we show that in 2026?

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

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

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Further Reading

First Sunday of Lent

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

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

21^st February 2026

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

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

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

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

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

[i] The Ten Commandments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

14^th February 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If we search our own hearts and ask:

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

7^th February 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking at the Beatitudes in turn, Jesus said

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

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

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

31^st January 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Could it make a difference to you or others?

How will you make this happen?

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

24^th January 2026

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[1] Robert Burns – Search

[2] Liturgical and Pastoral Handbook

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

17^th January 2026

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

[2]

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

[Isaiah42:1-4,6-7; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17]

When we were Baptised, we were baptised in the Name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit, in today’s Gospel we hear The Father speak at the Baptism of The Son with the visible presence of The Holy Spirit. This day two thousand years ago, when the Trinity show their eternal unity and Jesus gives us an example of how we can enter into his family and become his adopted brothers and sisters.

We know that Jesus did not need to be baptised. By convincing John to Baptise him, Jesus was standing in ‘solidarity with sinners.’[1] Jesus, as true God did not need Baptism. Jesus, as true man, needs us to take up Baptism and follow him allowing us as mankind, to journey towards our Father’s eternal home.

The words we hear today from Isaiah in our first reading would have been very familiar to Jesus. He would have heard them growing up, he would possibly have read them out in the Synagogue. In fact, those at Mass yesterday would have heard, in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus reading from another similar section of Isaiah, where there is also mention of the blind recovering their sight and prisoners being set free. Jesus knew Scriptures and realised that He was on earth to fulfil them.

The response to the psalm is very much needed in our days too. ‘The Lord will bless his people with peace.’ With all that is going on; remembering that what we see in the news is only a fraction of what is going on. The conflicts in Africa, barely get a mention, and yet if we read the latest information from Cafod, we see that there has been fighting in Sudan for over 1000 days now, causing millions to flee; seeking a place of safety. This has put pressure on the aid agencies and on the neighbouring countries.[2] When we pray that psalm this Sunday let’s remember all of those who are affected by conflict, and ask God to bring peace to our world.

In the second reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear St Peter, in the house of Cornelius, who was a Roman centurion, recognising that God was extending His call to those outside the Jewish faith. It is noticeable how Peter describes Christ’s message as being ‘the good news of peace’. As Christians we need to be advocates of peace, very easy when we live in a country which is for the most part peaceful; but for our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted this must seem like a forlorn hope.

The Baptism of the Lord marks the start of the public ministry of Jesus, one of His final messages to the disciples was to instruct them to go out to the whole world and Baptise in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, demonstrating how important Baptism is for the Salvation of mankind.

When I celebrate a Baptism service, I usually state that this is the start of a journey and that the parents, godparents and all those present, are witnesses to the start of the journey. But that is not where their part in the journey ends. Those present are called to witness to the child being baptised the teachings of the Lord, to be good role models, to help the parents to bring the child up in the Faith which we all profess. We may not be able to hear it the way those present at the Baptism of the Lord heard it, but at every baptism the voice of God is saying, this is my beloved, with whom I am well pleased. If we teach the child well enough and the child grows up living a life in Faith then at the end of the journey, they will hear the voice of God saying, ‘Well done true and faithful servant, come in, I have a place prepared for you.’

Further Reading

Homiletics Directory of the Catholic Church

E. The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

131. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a dimension of Epiphany, closes the Christmas season and opens it outward into Ordinary time. When Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan, something enormous happens. The heavens are torn open then, the Father’s voice is heard, and the Spirit is seen coming down in visible form upon Jesus. This is an epiphany of the mystery of the Holy Trinity. But why does such a vision occur in the moment when Jesus is baptized? The homilist must give some answer to this question.

132. The explanation lies in Jesus’ purpose in coming to John and being baptized by him. John is preaching a baptism of repentance. Jesus wants to make this sign of repentance together with the many others who were coming to John. At first John tries to prevent him, but Jesus insists. And his insistence expresses what he intends: he means to stand in solidarity with sinners. He means to be where they must be. The same thing is expressed by the Apostle Paul using a different kind of language: “He who knew no sin became sin for our sake” (2 Cor 5:21).

133. And it is precisely in this moment of intense solidarity with sinners that this immense trinitarian epiphany takes place. The Father’s voice thunders from heaven, declaring, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” And we must understand that what pleases the Father is precisely the Son’s willingness to stand in solidarity with sinners. In this way he shows himself to be the Son of this Father, this Father “who so loved the world that he gave to it his only Son” (Jn 3:16). In the same instant, the Spirit appears like a dove, descending upon the Son, functioning as a sort of accreditation or authorization of the whole unexpected scene.

134. The Spirit who shaped this scene and indeed prepared for it through the long centuries of Israel’s history – “Who spoke through the prophets,” as we profess in the Creed – is present to the homilist and his hearers, opening their minds to an ever deeper understanding of the scene. The same Spirit accompanied Jesus in every moment of his earthly existence, shaping each of his actions into a revelation of his Father. Thus, we can hear this morning’s text from the prophet Isaiah as an expansion within the heart of Jesus on the Father’s words “You are my beloved Son.” Their loving dialogue continues: “You are my chosen one with whom I am well pleased, upon whom I have put my Spirit … I the Lord have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations.”

135. The responsorial psalm on this feast seizes on the words of Psalm 29, “The voice of the Lord is over the waters.” The Church sings this psalm as a celebration of the words of the Father which we are privileged to hear and the hearing of which, is our feast. “Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!” – this is the “voice of the Lord over the waters, over the vast waters. The voice of the Lord is mighty. The voice of the Lord is majestic” (Ps 29:3-4).

136. After Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit sends him out into the desert to be put to the test by Satan. Then Jesus, still and ever guided by the Spirit, appears in Galilee proclaiming the Kingdom of God. In the course of his spellbinding preaching and his wonderful miracles, Jesus once said, “There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished” (Lk 12:50). With these words he referred to his coming death in Jerusalem. In this way we learn that Jesus’ baptism by John was not his ultimate baptism but an acting out in symbolic fashion of what he would accomplish in the baptism of his final agony and death on the cross. For it is on the cross that Jesus shows himself, not merely in symbol but in very deed, in complete solidarity with sinners. There he “became sin for us” (2 Cor 5:21), there “he was made a curse for us” (Gal 3:13). There he went down into the chaos of the waters of the underworld and drowned our sins forever. But from the cross and from his death, Jesus is also brought up from the waters, called to resurrection by the Father’s voice which says, “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased. Today I have begotten you” (Heb 1:5). This scene of death and resurrection is the masterpiece of the Spirit’s writing and direction. The voice of the Lord over the mighty waters of death raises his Son from the dead, majestic and mighty. “The voice of the Lord is mighty. The voice of the Lord is majestic.”

137. Jesus’ baptism is the pattern also of ours. In baptism we go down with Christ into the waters of death, and our sins are drowned in those waters. And because we have gone down with Christ, we also come up from the waters together with him and hear – mighty and majestic – the Father’s voice directed to us as well. It pronounces a new name for each of us, in the depths of each of our hearts: “Beloved! In whom I am well pleased.” We hear this name as ours not because of any good deeds we have done but because Christ in his overflowing love willed to share his relationship to his Father with us.

138. The Eucharist that is celebrated on this feast deepens all the patterns of this story. The Spirit appears hovering over the gifts of bread and wine which the faithful bring. The words of Jesus – “This is my body, this is my blood” – announce his intention to receive the baptism of death for our sake. And the assembly prays, “Our Father” together with the Son because it has heard the Father call it “Beloved” together with him.

139. Jesus once said in the course of his ministry, “Whoever believes in me, as scripture says, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.’” Those living waters began to flow within each of us at our baptism, and they become an ever stronger river with every celebration of the Eucharist.[3]

Please remember in your prayers

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

Deacon Tony

10^th January 2026

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

[2] Sudan Crisis Appeal

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

[Sirach 24:1-2,8-12; Psalm147; Ephesians 1:3-6,15-18; John 1:1-18]

Happy New Year!

The secular world tells us that Christmas is over, some people returned to work after the Christmas holiday last Friday, others will return on Monday. The shops have already started selling Easter eggs and Hot Cross buns and the TV adverts are trying to sell us holidays to places much hotter than England in January. But, for us as Christians we still have Christmas. The Maji have still to come, our Nativity is not yet complete.

Today we celebrate the second Sunday after the Nativity and in the first reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus [or Sirach] we hear Wisdom boast “From eternity, in the beginning, he created me, and for eternity I shall not cease to exist.” Wisdom, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit existed in the beginning and will exist forever; that means it will always be available to those who seek the Spirit.

In our second reading we hear why God created us, quite simply because He loves us. Our God, who is love, created us in his image and likeness, for God to love us and for us to love Him. We also hear that God chose us and adopted us; because of this we should be “holy and blameless”.  I don’t know about you, but I struggle to think of myself as holy and blameless. I know a lot of my faults and I have very dear family and friends who are quite happy to remind me of the ones I miss from my list.

How can we be holy when the world is such a mess?

The late Canon Frank O’Sullivan said that holiness is not about being perfect, it is about being loving. We show our love for one another, in the things we do for one another, the times when we are there to share joys and pains, the times when we just sit and listen to someone who needs to vent.[1]

The Gospel is that wonderful prologue from St John, which takes us back to the beginning of time, reminding us that Jesus, as the Word of God, was present at the moment of Creation. This same Word became flesh and dwelt among us. His own people did not recognise Him.

I struggle to think of the number of times I have looked for something, sometimes something I am desperate to find, and I fail to see it. I then ask for help and someone says it’s right there in front of you. Is this how it was for the Jewish people living around the time of Jesus? They were so desperately waiting and looking for the Messiah, that they failed to see Him; despite Jesus fulfilling so many prophecies from their Sacred Scriptures.

Today’s Gospel also introduces us to John the Baptist. John is a reminder to us that God has a mission for each of us. We might never know what our mission is and it will probably never be as important as John the Baptist’s mission. His mission made a difference to uncountable numbers of people. Our mission might make a difference to just one person. But to that one person it makes an incredible difference which is impossible to value.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday after the Nativity

CCC 151, 241, 291, 423, 445, 456-463, 504-505, 526, 1216, 2466, 2787: John’s Prologue
CCC 272, 295, 299, 474, 721, 1831: Christ the Wisdom of God
CCC 158, 283, 1303, 1831, 2500: God gives us wisdom[2]

Please remember in your prayers

• The success of the ‘seeker’ day with the Bishop
• 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.
• Those for whom the festive season is difficult.

Deacon Tony

3^rd January 2026

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[1] Canon Frank O’Sullivan, I Am With You, Year A, [Two in One Flesh, Caterham, 2013]30.

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

Today’s Gospel tells the story of why St Joseph took the Child Jesus and the Blessed Virgin away from Bethlehem to the relative safety of Egypt. Remembering they were already far from home, having travelled there for the census and now they couldn’t return home because of the threats to Jesus by a jealous king.

In 1952 Pope Pius XII issued an encyclical, Exsul Familia which starts with the following – 

“The émigré Holy Family of Nazareth, fleeing into Egypt, is the archetype of every refugee family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, living in exile in Egypt to escape the fury of an evil king, are, for all times and all places, the models and protectors of every migrant, alien and refugee of whatever kind who, whether compelled by fear of persecution or by want, is forced to leave his native land, his beloved parents and relatives, his close friends, and to seek a foreign soil.” [1] Note, His Holiness says that any reason one feels compelled to leave their homeland makes them a refugee.

In recent years, in a similar way to the 1930’s, politicians and the media have pointed towards refugees and migrants as being the source of domestic problems, with the effect of turning public opinion against those who seek a better or safer life by moving with their family to another land. The advent of social media allows fake news to spread quickly and has on occasion, resulted in mobs surrounding places where refugees should be able to feel safe, becoming a scene of violence and intimidation. This reflection is not meant to be political, as I believe none of the political parties have found the solution to the current migrant/refugee challenges; allowing extremists to make their voices heard and influence people.

As Christians we are meant to see in the refugee the faces of Jesus, Mary and Joseph; through our knowledge of the Bible, we know why they had to flee their homeland and find a place of safety. We thank God that they did, and this allowed Jesus to fulfil his mission which is to save all of mankind. Along the way, the Holy Family must have encountered other people during their exile, whose emotions would range from hostility and suspicion to genuine welcome and support; all of this while fearing for their lives.

How do we treat refugees today?

Do we see how vulnerable they are or do we fear them?

Do we suspect their motivations for being here?

Whatever our answer, we are encouraged to see the Holy Family in them, whatever their religion.

The Scriptures today encourage us to think of family. The first reading from the Book of Sirach encourages us to remember the importance of family for the entirety of life. I remember asking for this reading at my Grandad’s funeral, the priest tried to persuade me to use another reading, but I insisted. For me this reading speaks loudly of how relationships within a family should be; respectful and loving. The reading talks about the circle of life, reminding us that as one generation starts to weaken another becomes stronger, the role of protector may change, but has to be done respectfully aware of the feelings of all.

St Paul, in the second reading also gives advice on family life, which is useful for living as a community too. A Christian home should be one based on love; we are called to be holy, compassionate, kind, humble, meek and patient, we are called to forgive.

Is this a good reflection of how our homes have been, during interactions with family this Christmas?

Pope St John Paul II said of this feast day “If we aspire to a deeper understanding of Jesus’s life and mission, we must draw close to the mystery of the Holy Family of Nazareth to observe and listen. Today’s liturgy offers us a providential opportunity to do so. For every believer, and especially Christian families, the humble dwelling place in Nazareth is an authentic school of the Gospel. Here we admire, put into practice, the divine plan to make the family an intimate community of life and love; here we learn that every Christian family is called to be a small ‘domestic church’ that must shine with the Gospel virtues. Recollection and prayer, mutual understanding and respect, personal discipline and community asceticism and a spirit of sacrifice, work and solidarity are typical features that make the family of Nazareth a model for every home.”

As we prepare to enter 2026, I encourage us all to try and be more like the Holy Family. If we can all do our best, it will make our homes and our Parish truly wonderful places to be.

I wish you all a Happy and Peaceful New Year.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Holy Family

CCC 531-534: the Holy Family
CCC 1655-1658, 2204-2206: the Christian family, a domestic Church
CCC 2214-2233: duties of family members
CCC 333, 530: the Flight into Egypt[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.
• Those for whom the festive season is difficult.

Deacon Tony

28^th December 2025.

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[1] Pope Pius XII, Exsul Familia, available at Exsul Familia Nazarethana – Papal Encyclicals accessed 27^th December 2025.

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