Category: Deacon Tony reflects

[Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 22; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34]

Today we hear in the Gospel about the return of the apostles from the mission we heard about last week; when they were sent out with no possessions to preach, teach and heal. Jesus recognised that they needed to rest and reflect following this mission, so He took them off to a secluded place to recharge their batteries. However, as we also heard, the people guessed where they were going and were waiting for them as they came ashore. Jesus took pity on them stating that they were like sheep without a shepherd.

There are times when we feel spent; and if we are sensible; when we recognise that we really need to stop and look after ourselves. I am sure many teachers and other school staff members are in that position today. Jesus knows that we get tired. In the apostles he recognised that they were so animated and focussed on His mission, that they had neglected to look after themselves. It is impossible for us to look after people if we do not look after ourselves. Remember Jesus said “love your neighbour as yourself” [Mark 12:31].  Most of us can recognise when we become physically tired and need to recharge, but how many of us are able to recognise when we become spiritually tired. Recharging ourselves spiritually is essential for our journey in faith. Bishop Philip encourages all of the clergy to have an annual retreat; a time to find some quiet away from the busyness of the day and to find peace. In other words, encouraging them to look after themselves, so that they can look after the people they serve.

As Catholics, we should all look for a similar time. Not just a holiday, but a time to look at our faith, a place which can re-energise us spiritually. There are many places out there. When we hear Jesus say those words “You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while” how do we respond?

For me, I will be going to Medjugorje later this year, I have been there once before, and I loved it. It is a really peaceful place despite it no longer being a ‘lonely’ place [like Jesus was looking for in the Gospel], there are still plenty of places where I can either sit in silence or walk along; finding a deep sense of peace. I am really looking forward to returning there.

In his letter to the Ephesians, we hear St Paul reminding us today, that through His death and resurrection Christ has brought peace to the relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles. Through His resurrection Jesus has brought peace to those who were close to Him and to those who were far away from Him, this peace we share is the one Spirit which brings us to the Father.

It would be wonderful if we could experience that same peace in the world today. In the land where Jesus walked there is destruction on a biblical scale. The politicians and the media try to justify their actions, but is there anyone advocating for peace and an end to the killings at this time? The politicians drown out the sound of the protestors by the noise of their weapons as they inflict more pain and suffering on their enemies; with families seeking refuge, being attacked and slaughtered. For these families there are no quiet places to go to; their choice seems to be between being killed by terrorists who live among them, or by a neighbouring government. At the same time politicians look for photo opportunities with visiting dignitaries or while writing a message on a bomb. With every killing, another family swears revenge and the cycle continues.

The world is crying out for something which can unite us in the same way as St Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians. How we need for these barriers to be broken down, the hostilities to end and for the tears to stop. As Christians we can pray for an end to the bloodshed, for the enemies to see each other as humans with families and loved ones, for the leaders to seek a lasting peace which respects the rights of every person.

I pray for those who work to promote peace. For those who highlight the wrongs committed by either side. I pray for the journalists to be able to report accurately and not just report what their employer wants us to hear or read. I pray for recognition that the victims of war are all equal, that it doesn’t matter which race or colour or religion or nationality that person was; they were all made by God and they will all have had families who loved them. I pray for peace in this world, the World which He created.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2302-2306: Christ our peace
CCC 2437-2442: witnesses and workers for peace and justice

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Father Jean-Patrice that he makes a full recovery.
• Stephen Patterson and Zacharius Parambi as they prepare for ordination to the Permanent Diaconate next Saturday.
• All the staff and pupils of our schools that they have a safe and healthy break over the summer holidays.
• Parents who need to find useful things to occupy their children during the holidays.
• The children who are normally on free school meals, that their parents are able to cope with the additional demands that times away from school bring and that they can access the help which is available to them.
• Peace in the world.

Deacon Tony 20^th July 2024

[Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 84; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13]

Recently, one of my neighbours reached the point in life where she was unable to care for herself any longer, and she and her family decided that she would go into a care home. This left the family with what seemed like weeks of sorting through their late father and their mother’s possessions; as well as some things they themselves had left at their parents’ home. As humans we like to have things around us. Things which remind us of places, things which remind us of people and in some cases things which the world sees as valuable. When I heard our neighbour’s daughter explain how long and emotional the sorting out of these things had been for them, I resolved to try and sort through as much of my things as possible; hoping to save my children that that additional struggle when I won’t be around to do it. However, like many of my good intentions, I haven’t started yet.

Today, we hear Jesus send out his disciples in pairs and tells them they are to take nothing with them except a staff. The staff was probably to support them when they were weak or, more importantly, to show that they had the authority of their shepherd, Jesus. But they were to take nothing else. They are to rely on the people for their daily bread, to take no bags, to have no money. Jesus demands their absolute trust in God and wants his disciples to be free from any form of attachment to possessions.[1] As His disciples in 2024, how do we fare against this? Would we contemplate going to another town without packing a bag with things which we might need? These days, that might consist of our mobile phone to pay for things, hand sanitiser and maybe still a face mask, as well as some other ‘crucial’ items.

When we think about the absolute trust the disciples had in Jesus and the results they had in sharing the Good News; casting out devils anointing the sick and curing them, maybe it calls us to question how much we actually trust in God.

In the first reading today, we have the prophet, Amos; who was a simple shepherd and who also looked after sycamore trees; being rejected by the priest of Bethel. Bethel was part of the northern lands and Amos was from the south. The priest wanted Amos to return south, but he defiantly told the priest that God had sent him with a message; he told him to leave his sheep and his sycamores to go and share His message with the northern tribes, the people of Israel. Amos showed his trust in God and obeyed. Amos was a simple man, he was uneducated and his occupation showed that he was poor and yet here he is in front of the priests speaking to them about God.

There is a remarkable encounter Amos had with God earlier in this chapter. God gave Amos a vision that He would destroy Israel’s crops. Amos realising the catastrophe this could cause pleaded with God to relent. God listened to Amos’ prayer and relented. “For us this shows that prayer can be effective, our prayers can never change God’s character, but we can change God’s plans. Ours is not an impersonal God who sets things in stone, but a God who listens to us, a God who is willing to be persuaded”.[2]

Today is Sea Sunday. As an island nation we have a long history and reliance on the sea. Whether it is the fish we eat or the food and clothing which we import, all of us rely on the men and women who work on the sea; and are often hidden from our view; just getting on with what they do to make sure that we can have the things we need. Stella Maris have published a short reflection on the Gospel which I have shared below.

“In today’s Gospel we hear that Jesus sent out the disciples in pairs, but they were to take almost nothing with them – so they had to rely on the providence of God on their travels – and the generosity of the people they would stay with on the journey. Those people would be strangers to them – but the disciples were reliant on those strangers’ hospitality. This requires faith.

The teaching that God’s love is present in welcoming strangers and neighbours is a strong belief of many cultures. The divine lives in each of us, and when we welcome each other, we welcome God, and Jesus, the Son of God.

According to Jesus’ instructions, if people didn’t welcome or listen to the disciples, they were to walk away, shaking the dust from under their feet. This gesture represents both cleansing and Jesus’ displeasure at those who have rejected these strangers (his disciples) – we would surely not want that for ourselves.

When seafarers are in foreign ports, they often rely on the strangers who visit them to support them – to take them to the shops, to give them internet access, to take them to a Church for Mass or confession. Often, they don’t even speak the local language, making things even harder.

Sea Sunday is the day our parishes pray for seafarers and fishers and support Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea) – the Catholic charity that provides that welcome for seafarers in ports in this country and around the world. The chaplains and volunteers of Stella Maris listen to seafarers’ stories, help to provide what they need, and answer Jesus’s call to give hospitality to the stranger.”[3]

This weekend we are all given the opportunity to support Stella Maris with donations and with our prayers. The people who work at sea trust in God’s providence, our donations can help them with practical things and our prayers can be like the prophet Amos’ prayers and help protect them.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 1506-1509: disciples share in Christ’s healing mission
CCC 737-741: Church called to proclaim and bear witness
CCC 849-856: origin and scope of the Church’s mission
CCC 1122, 1533: mission-mindedness
CCC 693, 698, 706, 1107, 1296: the Holy Spirit as God’s guarantee and seal
CCC 492: Mary as a unique example of being chosen before the foundation of the world

Sea Sunday Message 2024 – Stella Maris

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Father Jean-Patrice that he makes a full recovery.
• Fr Tom Hiney and Fr Ambrose Chou on their ordination to the Priesthood for our Diocese this weekend, that they may be good and holy priests.
• Stephen Patterson and Zacharius Parambi as they prepare for ordination to the Permanent Diaconate on the 27^th of July.
• All seafarers and those who support them and their families often left at home without their loved ones for months at a time.
• The families who complete the Baptism Preparation Course at St Bede’s this weekend

Deacon Tony 13^th July 2024

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[1] Oseagwina Jerome Ituah OCD, Pastoral Review Vol 20 Issue 3 [The Tablet Publishing Company, Twickenham, 2024] 77-8.

[2] David Pawson, Unlocking the Bible, [Harper Collins Publishing, London, 2003]480.

[3] Gospel-Meditation.docx (live.com)

[Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 122; 2Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6]

It is amazing, how the people of Nazareth refused to believe in Jesus because they believed they already knew him. They believed they already knew him and knew his history. They called him ‘the man’ and believed because he had grown up among them that he was just the carpenter and the son of Mary.  Contrast this with people who, like ourselves, didn’t know Jesus when He was growing up, through faith we have tried to get to know Jesus. Only for us he is not the carpenter, and not ‘the man’ nor just the son of Mary. For us, He is the Son of Man and the Son of God.

Their lack of faith affected Jesus so much that he could work no miracles there.  For me this shows that Jesus was not a performer; the miracles of Jesus are no illusion performed by a magician.  For the miracles to work, the recipients had to have faith.  Jesus told us this several times after a miracle had been worked.  Go, your faith has saved you.

The readings today seem to deal with stubbornness and obstinance. In the first reading we hear how Ezekiel was sent to the Jewish people who had turned away from God. God wanted them to know that even if they did not believe or follow Him, they would know that there was a prophet amongst them.  In the second reading St Paul persistently prays for his weakness to be taken away from him but remember that God’s ways are not the same as man’s ways. God informed Paul that He would work through his weaknesses and turn Paul’s weakness into a strength. This allowed Paul to accept his weakness. When we examine why Paul was given the thorn in his flesh, it was to stop him from becoming conceited or too proud of the revelations God was giving him. Paul sees his weaknesses as a way God helps him to stay grounded, not to get too far ahead of himself.

Paul trusted in God, offering up his weakness to God. Are there areas of our life that we would sooner not have, something in us that we think prevents us from getting closer to God, a thorn in our side? Like St Paul can we view the weaknesses we have as a way of keeping us grounded?

There have been times in my life when I have allowed my inner demons hold me back. Fear can stop me from encountering new situations. Fear of rejection, fear of upsetting other people, fear of conflict. Fear is a natural feeling, gifted to us by God to help keep us safe, however, when we allow our fears to stop us from growing or developing ourselves or from helping other people than is that fear life giving? Imagine if the disciples had allowed their fears to stop them from living the Gospel? 

We are all called to take our faith out into the world and help others encounter Jesus. The dismissal at the end of Mass isn’t just some nice words pulled together to end the Mass, it is an instruction. Whether it is ‘Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life’ or ‘Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord’ or ‘Go forth, the Mass is ended’ or just ‘Go in peace’ all of these are all instructions which we are all obliged to follow. So, when we are instructed to glorify the Lord by our life, what do we take that instruction to mean? Or, when we are instructed to Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord, do we start to think how can I do that this week?

Today we are asked to use the gifts God has given us and be like Ezekiel, who took the word of God to places it wasn’t welcome. To be like Paul and not allow ourselves to be too proud or conceited, accept the weaknesses we have been given and allow God to use us for His will. To be like Jesus and not allow those who have an idea of who they think we are to stifle our mission to take God out into the world.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 2581-2584: prophets and conversion of heart
CCC 436: Christ as prophet
CCC 162: perseverance in faith
CCC 268, 273, 1508: power is made perfect in weakness

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those seeking election, that they have a genuine call to serve their community and that they back up any promises they make with their actions.
• Father Jean-Patrice that he makes a full recovery.
• Deacon Tom Hiney and Deacon Ambrose Chou as they prepare for ordination to the Priesthood for our Diocese on the 13^th of July.
• Stephen Patterson and Zacharius Parambi as they prepare for ordination to the Permanent Diaconate on the 27^th of July.
• All those who established and those who continue to support the link between Bamenda and our Diocese which celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year.
• The families who start the Baptism Preparation Course this weekend

Deacon Tony 29^th June 2024

Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 33; 2Timothy 4:6-8,17-18; Matthew 16:13-19]

Both St Peter and St Paul are examples for us, they share the first example by having an intimate relationship with Jesus, although for Paul it wasn’t always so.

St Peter knew Jesus during his life on earth, he followed Jesus’ call while he was a fisherman and became a fisher of men. St Peter demonstrates for us many of our weaknesses. Despite his love of Jesus and his determination not to deny Him, he denied him three times, just as Jesus had told him he would. One of the beautiful things Jesus does for Peter is shown in the Gospel used for the Mass for the Vigil of this Solemnity. Jesus knows what is in all of our hearts, so He would have known how upset Peter would have been that he actually denied Jesus three times. In this Gospel Jesus gives Peter the opportunity to state his love for Jesus three times, and although this irritated Peter, it also redeemed him. Jesus was telling us that no matter how many times we fail in our relationship with Him, he will still give us the opportunity to declare our love for Him, so that we can be redeemed.

St Paul’s journey started off differently, he persecuted those who followed Jesus, he was present when St Stephen became the first martyr for Jesus. He admits that his attacks on the Church were merciless due to his enthusiasm for ‘the traditions of his ancestors’. If we recall the story of Paul’s conversion, we remember that Jesus did not ask him why are you persecuting my Church. No, he asked why are you persecuting me [Acts 9:4]. This reminds us that we are the Body of Christ. Paul was given the mission of taking the Good News out to those who do not know Jesus, to foreign lands; and we as Gentiles are products of that mission.

Both St Peter and St Paul shared the Good News, they did this by words and deeds. Just like them we are called to share our love of Jesus and we need to do this by words and deeds. In some ways they were both like the man in the adage who plants a tree knowing he will never sit under its shade.[1] We too are like this, we have opportunities to plant the seeds of faith into those we encounter, we may never see that seed shoot or grow or even bear fruit. But part of what makes us Christian is to be selfless, doing something for someone else and expecting nothing in return.

St Peter and St Paul responded to Christ’s call, like them we are called, like them we can get up and follow.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

June 29: The Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul

CCC 153, 424, 440, 442, 552, 765, 880-881: Saint Peter
CCC 442, 601, 639, 642, 1508, 2632-2633, 2636, 2638: Saint Paul

Blessed Are Those Who Plant Trees Under Whose Shade They Will Never Sit – Quote Investigator®

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those seeking election, that they have a genuine call to serve their community and that they back up any promises they make with their actions.
• Father Jean-Patrice that he makes a full recovery.
• Deacon Tom Hiney and Deacon Ambrose Chou as they prepare for ordination to the Priesthood for our Diocese on the 13^th of July.
• Stephen Patterson and Zacharius Parambi as they prepare for ordination to the Permanent Diaconate on the 27^th of July.
• All those who established and those who continue to support the link between Bamenda and our Diocese which celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year. There is a Mass of Thanksgiving for this link at the Cathedral next Saturday at 11:00.

Deacon Tony 29^th June 2024

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[1] Blessed Are Those Who Plant Trees Under Whose Shade They Will Never Sit – Quote Investigator®

[Job 38:1,8-11 Psalm 106; 2Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4:35-41]

One of the strangest things I find about today’s Gospel is that despite what is plainly in front of them, the disciples seem to be blind as to who Jesus really is. Let us think about this Gospel for a few moments. Some of the men chosen as disciples were fishermen, men who made their living on the sea. They would be accustomed to reading the weather and also what to do if a storm breaks. They were suddenly hit by a gale; it was blowing so hard the water was coming up onto their boat and these experienced fishermen feared for their lives. They looked around for their teacher and found he was fast asleep, unconcerned about what was going on around him. They woke him and he experienced their terror. He spoke to the storm and ordered it to be quiet. It obeyed, and yet the disciples asked one another ‘Who can this be?’

As is frequently the case in St Mark’s Gospel, the disciples lack of faith is highlighted, I think this is given to us as an example for the times when we struggle with our faith. Surely if the disciples sometimes struggled with their faith when they knew Jesus in the flesh and witnessed all of his works then we can sometimes be excused for struggling with our faith; when we rely on the words from these same disciples and those who followed them to help us to understand and get to know Jesus better.

Another great example in this Gospel passage, is that in a time of great stress and fear the disciples turned to Jesus and asked for help. These experienced fishermen didn’t try to get out of this particular storm under their own knowledge and power; they recognised they needed the help of the Lord. Today, we are his disciples, like those early fishermen and tax collectors we have been called to follow Jesus. Our faith tells us that Jesus accompanies us on our journey, He never leaves us alone and He is never asleep; He is always on duty. Jesus does not want us to wait until there is a crisis to call out to Him. Jesus wants us to have an intimate relationship with Him all the time. He wants us to know Him and love Him, so that when we do face a storm or a crisis, we can trust that He is with us and that we don’t have to cry out in fear.

Think about the last time you turned to God in prayer out of desperation,

In hindsight, could you have taken whatever was concerning you to the Lord, sooner?

Do we allow ourselves to fully trust in Jesus?

In what areas of your life could Jesus ask you, why have you no faith?

I know there were times in my life when I didn’t even come to Mass. I turned my back on my faith, believing that it was more important for me as a young dad to work overtime on a Sunday than to be with my family at Church. I struggled to have a relationship with Jesus and allowed the storms in my life to overwhelm me. But just as Jesus rebuked the wind, and calmly rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith, he gently rebuked me for my lack of faith. Jesus made sure that I came back to Him, there was nothing dramatic, just lots of gentle encouragement. Our Lord calms the storms in our life, He heals and forgives us. If even the winds and the seas listen to him then so should we.

When Jesus asks the disciples ‘how is it that you have no faith?’ What did He mean? The church tells us that “By faith, we believe in God and believe all that he has revealed to us and that Holy Church proposes for our belief.” [CCC1842] We also need to put our faith into action. When faith ‘is deprived of hope and love, faith does not fully unite the believer to Christ and does not make him a living member of his Body.’ [CCC1815]

We can put our faith into action by doing good works with a good heart; reaching out to those in need, helping our fellow Christians who may be struggling with their faith. Reaching out to those with no faith showing them God’s love and most important of all, believing that Jesus is there for us, not just when there are storms in our life, but everyday walking every step alongside us.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 423, 464-469: Jesus, true God and true Man
CCC 1814-1816: faith as gift of God, and human response
CCC 671-672: maintaining faith in adversity

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those seeking election, that they have a genuine call to serve their community and that they back up any promises they make with their actions.
• Father Jean-Patrice that he makes a full recovery.
• Our family members who may have drifted away from the Faith, may Jesus gently rebuke them and restore their faith.
• Tom Messenger/Brother Aiden as he makes his final vows as a monk at Douai this weekend.

Deacon Tony 21^st June 2024

[Ezekiel 17:22-24 Psalm 91; 2Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34]

For a few weeks I have expressed an interest to try and grow some vegetables at home. So, I did a little bit of research and decided I would like to install some raised beds and look to start this new venture. I finally bought the raised beds and planted a variety of seeds earlier this week. Now, I have very little experience of growing anything; the best I have managed previously was to grow some tomatoes and peppers from little plants, so I supplemented my seeds with a few little tomato plants, an aubergine plant and a couple of herb plants so that I could at least see something in my beds until the seeds started to grow. So imagine my surprise when I opened the Missal to prepare for this week’s reflection and read today’s Gospel and found these words “A man throws seeds on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know.” I thought this was really appropriate for me. As I said I have very little knowledge of how these things work; and in my case at this time if they will work at all.

One of the things which really struck me was how different the types of seeds are for each of the different vegetables and herbs which I have decided to sow. I have very carefully marked which seeds have been grown and where in my little raised beds and hopefully, one day soon, I will start to see something begin to shoot and grow.

The faith we share with others is a bit like this. However, we often don’t even realise that we have planted some seeds. Through my actions or words, something may be planted in someone who observes or hears me. The same goes for you. All of the seeds we plant are planted in different ways and will look different to the eye. A kindness from me, a word of encouragement from you, someone else going way out of their way to assist someone, can cause an inner reaction in a person which prompts them to look deeper into themselves. As Jesus says in the parable, the seed is sprouting and growing and yet we do not know. As Christians our actions plant seeds, we can water them and feed them but it is the creator who decides which of the seeds will produce a crop and bear fruit.

Jesus continued by using another parable, this time about the tiny mustard seed and he pointed out that this tiny seed can grow into the largest of shrubs. For us too, this can be the case. The smallest of gestures from us can mean so much to another person, that small gesture or seed can go on to form the strongest of faiths which can bring other people to the Lord.

It might be worth us considering who sowed the seeds of faith in our life? For some of us it will be our parents, for others, teachers or the priests we met as we were growing up. I can think of many people who have helped me when I struggled; the times when I drifted away from the Church and with their small gestures helped bring me back onto the right path.

This Sunday is Fathers Day and we remember those Fathers, Grandfathers and Godfathers who have gone before us, some of whom may have planted the odd seed in our faith journey or at least watered some. As a dad, I am aware of the awesome privilege God gives us in co-operating with Him to bring new life into the world.

This Sunday is also a day when we pray for life. Life being from conception until natural death. The Bishops of England & Wales, as well as the Scottish Bishops have put out a resource to remind us of the attacks on our Christian beliefs on how sacred life is.[1] Its focus this year is on the campaign for assisted suicide and it cites examples and has some prayers to help us focus on this important issue. With these insights to hand, I would encourage us all, at this election period, to take the time to look into the views of our prospective candidates to ensure that we discern who the person is who will best represent our Christian views.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 543-546: announcing the Kingdom of God
CCC 2653-2654, 2660, 2716: the Kingdom grows by hearing the Word

Day for Life publication – DFL24-Printable-A4.pdf (cbcew.org.uk)

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those affected by poor mental health or addictions.
• The children in the Tadley & Burghfield Common communities who will celebrate their First Holy Communion this week at St Michael’s Church in Tadley [16^th June].
• Those seeking election, that they have a genuine call to serve their community and that they back up any promises they make with their actions.
• Those working for the protection of life and the people who have made personal sacrifice to uphold Catholic teaching on Life being from conception until natural death.
• For Zyre who will be baptised this weekend at St Bede’s Church.

Deacon Tony 15^th June 2024

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[1] DFL24-Printable-A4.pdf (cbcew.org.uk)

[Genesis 3:9-15 Psalm 129; 2Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35]

We see in today’s scripture readings how the enemy, Satan, wants to divide, cause mistrust and put distance between us and God. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear how Adam and Eve admitted their offence to God and how they gave in to the serpent’s temptation. God, who of course knows everything, was already fully aware of what had happened. We can view God’s questions as a way of allowing Adam to take responsibility for his actions. Adam fails; he blames both the woman and God! The woman also fails to take responsibility, blaming the serpent. Time and again, God gives us the opportunity to take responsibility for our actions. How often do we fail?[1] Sometimes our first reaction to being challenged about something is to deflect the challenge with a counter challenge or suggesting it was someone or something else which ‘made me do it’. But God gave us free will, we make decisions; choosing what we do and what we do not do. Granted, sometimes those decisions are not very well thought out and are made on impulse, but we make decisions, nevertheless.

I can often act on impulse, fire off what I think is a witty remark or a retort in an argument that leaves someone else feeling hurt. I haven’t intended to hurt them, but my actions have hurt them. I need to become more aware of these times and learn to control these impulses and put more thought into the potential consequences of my actions for both me and the person I am interacting with.

In the second reading St Paul is reminding the Corinthians that the decay our body goes through as we age is symbolic of how our faith grows as we get older. We start to see less importance in trivial things, and we start to recognise what is really important; which is our relationship with God. St Paul tells us that the things which are visible will disappear and as we enter our eternal Glory the things which are invisible will last for ever; that is ‘our eternal home not made by human hands in heaven.’

As we go through life, we are aware of people who seem to thrive on being part of a drama. Sometimes that person can be us. As we become more mature or when we remove ourselves from certain situations, we can see that the fuss and stresses involved in certain situations are not as important in hindsight, than what we thought they were, when we were in the middle of the situation. The really important thing in our life is to love. It is through love of God and love of others that we can find true happiness. This reading from St Paul today prompts me to consider what the temporary things in my life are, which are holding me back from achieving permanent joy in heaven? What are the things which cause me to stress, which are really not that important? Why do I get stressed in certain situations, snapping at those I love?

There are no quick answers for me to these questions, but thinking about them has reminded me of a homily I heard in Medjugorje a couple of years ago. The priest said that he often had people coming to him on confession complaining that they were always confessing the same sins. He said that the reason many of us find ourselves confessing the same, or similar sins time after time was that we were not going deep enough. He said that the sins were like the fruit of a plant and we just keep picking the fruit and thinking that we have dealt with the issue in confession. What we really need to do is to go deeper and get to the root of the plant and address what is behind the sins, what is it in us that has allowed the sin to take root and grow to the stage where we see this fruit and are able to recognise it for what it is. So going back to my original questions I will need to examine what it is in me that causes me to snap at those I love, what is it in me that allows a frustration to be displayed as a stress and why am I able to hide my stresses from some people and freely let them flow with others?

In the Gospel we hear the scribes accuse Jesus of being possessed and stating that Jesus casts devils out through the power of the devil. Jesus quite rightly refutes this accusation stating that a household divided against itself will fall.  Reminding me why it is so important that we as a church are united and find peace with others; as well as the world around us.  There is no logic to the scribes’ argument. Jesus turns this around and states that as they are accusing Jesus of having an unclean spirit within him then they are actually committing a sin which cannot be forgiven, accusing the Holy Spirit of being evil is an eternal sin.

Our Gospel passage finishes with good news for us all. Jesus states that if we carry out the will of God then we are His brothers and sisters and his mother. In effect Jesus is stating that if we follow Him and do the will of His Father then He will treat us as family. As we look around the church this Sunday, we can see other brothers and sisters in Christ. We are called to be companions to these fellow travellers on the road to our eternal home. The word companion is important. I was really struck recently to read that the word ‘companion’ means ‘one who breaks bread with another’.[2] We remember the disciples’ joy when they recognised Him in the breaking of the bread. Being a companion reduces the potential for loneliness, it gives us someone to share our burdens with and it helps us to stay close to the path which leads to God.

Who are your companions and when did you last check in on them?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 410-412: the Protoevangelium
CCC 374-379: man in paradise
CCC 385-409: the fall
CCC 517, 550: Christ as exorcist

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those affected by poor mental health or addictions.
• The children in the Tadley & Burghfield Common communities who are still preparing for their First Holy Communion which will take place next week at St Michael’s Church in Tadley [16^th June].
• Those seeking election, that they have a genuine call to serve their community and that they back up any promises they make with their actions.
• Those who are lonely and need companionship.
• Ugonna who is being baptised at St Bede’s Church this Saturday.

Deacon Tony 8^th June 2024

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[1] 2024 Sourcebook – The Almanac for Pastoral Liturgy, [Liturgy Training Publication, Chicago, Il, 2023]234.

[2] Thomas N Hart, The Art of Christian Listening, [Paulist Press, New York, 1980]17.

In our readings today we hear firstly about the old Covenant; the one God made with Moses where the blood of animals was used to take away our sins or to offer glory to God. The blood sealed an acceptance by the people that they would obey the rules God gave to Moses. Down throughout the centuries the people veered away from these rules and turned away from God. However, God, being a loving Father and our Creator, looked for a way to bring the people back to Him. He sent his only Son into the world to save us and draw all men back to Him. In the letter to the Hebrews, we hear that the Sacrifice made by Jesus is the new and eternal covenant, this time made to all mankind and not just the chosen few. We are reminded that Jesus, became the final sacrifice, he who is without blemish, removed the need for animals to be sacrificed. Jesus, as the Lamb of God, shed his blood for his friends, and we who strive to keep his commandments are his friends.

In the next week, the world will remember the colossal efforts of the Allied forces on D-Day as we celebrate 80 years since that day. A day that changed the course of the war and a day that many young men and women lost their lives. Some defending a land they had conquered others trying to set that land free. In all of the films and documentaries made about D-Day there is seldom mention made of the role of the Chaplain. These men including priests, ministers and rabbis who served the spiritual and sometimes medical needs of the brave comrades who fought for our freedom.[1] Field Marshall Montgomery, one of the most prominent commanders in the British Army during World War 2, is quoted as having written “The most important people in the Army are the Nursing Sisters and the Padres — the Sisters because they tell the men they matter to us, and the Padres because they tell the men they matter to God.”[2] Twenty of these British Army padres or chaplains lost their lives in Normandy.

As well as celebrating Mass and granting absolution, these men accompanied the soldiers into battle, but they did not carry any weapons, the Catholic Chaplains had their Mass kit so that they could celebrate Mass anywhere and there are photographs which depict Mass being celebrated in fields or in abandoned buildings; if they were lucky they may have found a church which had not been destroyed or commandeered as a field hospital.[3] For me, the Chaplains exemplify the teachings of Christ, these men are denying their own needs and set out to serve, knowing that their own life was on the line and many have been killed in action over the years.

As I said earlier, one of the key things the Chaplains did was to celebrate Mass and allow the men to receive Holy Communion. Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, no greater love a man can show than he lays down his life to save a friend [John 15:13]. The Sacrament we take part in every time we come to Mass, commemorates this Sacrifice by Jesus. Jesus shed his blood to save us for ever and that is why we need to celebrate this fact for ever too. The chaplains who celebrated Mass on the war fields understood that for men to have extraordinary courage they needed to have extraordinary support, their physical presence as padres allowed the men to have the extraordinary presence of Christ accompanying them.  For the past couple of years, I have been supported in my ministry by a padre. He is a military chaplain currently serving in Edinburgh. We meet monthly, usually via the internet and he provides me with words of wisdom, encouragement and gives me the time and space to consider any issues I may be having. His support is based upon his many years as a priest as well as the time he has spent in the military. The few times we have met physically we have been able to share a meal together and enjoy each other’s company. I find his support to be invaluable, having built up a trusting relationship with him.

The Gospel used today is familiar to us all. Every time we come to Mass, we hear the priest use the words Jesus used as he takes the bread and offers us to take it, as the Body of Christ. He then offers the Chalice in the same way and says drink the Blood of Christ. I encourage us all to listen carefully to the words used in the Eucharistic Prayer. During the Consecration the priest uses the words used by Jesus at the Last Supper. For us this is not just food and drink, sharing in the table of the Lord, but a sharing in the sacrifice, where the blood of the one who was slain is redemptive: ‘Take this all of you and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins.’[4]

Although the bread and wine used in our Mass still physically looks and tastes like bread and wine, we know, and we believe that they have been transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. In this way Jesus has remained with us since the new and eternal covenant was made. By consuming the Body and Blood of Christ we can become like Him, and we too can live forever.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

CCC 790, 1003, 1322-1419: the Holy Eucharist
CCC 805, 950, 2181-2182, 2637, 2845: the Eucharist and the communion of believers
CCC 1212, 1275, 1436, 2837: the Eucharist as spiritual food

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are lonely, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those affected by poor mental health or addictions.
• The children in the Tadley & Burghfield Common communities who are still preparing for their First Holy Communion which will take place on the 16^th June.
• Those seeking election, that they have a genuine call to serve their community and that they back up any promises they make with their actions.
• All military chaplains and those they serve who are prepared to fight for our country. The repose of the souls of those who have died in service of our Nation.

Deacon Tony 31^st May 2024

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[1] &  2 Never forget the heroic work of chaplains in D-Day invasion | Hilton Head Island Packet

 

[3] d-day-74-years-later-remembering-the-heroic-chaplains-and-priests-of-normandy-1263 (aleteia.org)

[4] Robert Draper, Pastoral Review Vol 20 Issue 2, [The Tablet Publishing Company, London,2024]82.

When we are baptised, the priest or the deacon says the words ‘I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’. This fulfils the words of Jesus from today’s Gospel and is a sign that God has chosen the individual being baptised to become a son or a daughter of God. By going out to the whole world and baptising people in the name of the Holy Trinity, the disciples obeyed Jesus, whose role on earth was to bring people closer to the Father and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church has grown throughout the world.

If we were to ask ourselves why almost every nation at some point or another has been a fruitful place for the Church to grow, I wonder what the answer would be. For me I think, that as we are created by love, then we have a deep desire to love and to be loved; therefore, mankind needs to love and to be loved. Even those with no faith express love for one another and do loving actions, even though they claim not to know God or in some cases state a disbelief in God.

For us to achieve true happiness we need to know God. Every other source of happiness is temporary or dependent on available resources and as the Beatles famously said over 60 years ago, money can’t buy [me]] love. True love comes from the source of everything, our creator is love and we are made in His image and likeness. As I have said previously, we are made in the image of love we are meant to be loving beings and reflect God’s love to the world. But to do this we need help. We can only love, if we know love and know how to love.

Fortunately, when Jesus told the disciples to go out and baptise all nations,[the Gret Commission] he continued ‘and teach them all the commands I gave you. And know that I will be with you always; yes, to the ends of time.’ When our parents and Godparents made promises on our behalf at our baptism, they took on the role as being our first teachers. By word and example, they are promising to fulfil the role of the disciples in this instruction from Jesus. They are promising to teach the commandments that Jesus has given us and because Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, he promised to be with us until the end of time.

I like the summary of this feast which is used in my home Missal. It is given by the late Pope Benedict XVI, and it was given at the Angelus on this feast day in 2009 “Today we contemplate the Most Holy Trinity as Jesus introduced us to it. He revealed to us that God is love “not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance” (Preface). He is the Creator and merciful Father; he is the Only-Begotten Son, eternal Wisdom incarnate, who died and rose for us; he is the Holy Spirit who moves all things, cosmos and history, toward their final, full recapitulation. Three Persons who are one God because the Father is love, the Son is love, the Spirit is love. God is wholly and only love, the purest, infinite and eternal love. He does not live in splendid solitude but rather is an inexhaustible source of life that is ceaselessly given and communicated. To a certain extent we can perceive this by observing both the macro-universe: our earth, the planets, the stars, the galaxies; and the micro-universe: cells, atoms, elementary particles. The “name” of the Blessed Trinity is, in a certain sense, imprinted upon all things because all that exists, down to the last particle, is in relation; in this way we catch a glimpse of God as relationship and ultimately, Creator Love. All things derive from love, aspire to love and move impelled by love, though naturally with varying degrees of awareness and freedom.” [1]

For me this is a reminder that God made everything, the hand of God is in the largest of mountains and the of smallest insects; all have a purpose; just as we all have a purpose. As the old Penny Catechism answered to the question of why did God make me? “God made me to know him, love him and serve him in this world, and to be happy with him for ever in the next.”

Having been reminded of this Commission, what can we choose to do today and going forward?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

CCC 202, 232-260, 684, 732: the mystery of the Trinity
CCC 249, 813, 950, 1077-1109, 2845: the Trinity in the Church and her liturgy
CCC 2655, 2664-2672: the Trinity and prayer
CCC 2205: the family as an image of the Trinity

Angelus, 7 June 2009, Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity | BENEDICT XVI (vatican.va)

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are lonely, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those affected by war, those affected by crime and those trying to help these people.
• The people of Sudan and the neighbouring countries who are trying to help alleviate the effects of famine.
• Those affected by poor mental health or addictions.
• Tobechukwu who is being baptised at St Bede’s this Sunday.
• For all those on half-term holiday that they have a safe break and return refreshed.
• The children in the Tadley & Burghfield Common communities who are still preparing for their First Holy Communion which will take place on the 16^th June.
• The repose of the soul of my mum Margaret, this Sunday would have been her 80^th birthday.

Deacon Tony 25^th May 2024

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[1] Angelus, 7 June 2009, Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity | BENEDICT XVI (vatican.va)

In a recent RCIA class we were speaking about prayer. In the class we listed and explained the principal activities of prayer. The first one being Adoration, which in the text we use[1] is described as ‘An act offered to God, such as a psalm of praise or a sacrifice which acknowledges his supreme perfection and our dependence.’ The next principal is Thanksgiving, which is defined ‘an expression of gratitude to God for his bounty in satisfying our general or particular needs and especially for his gift of grace.’ The third principal is Repentance, with the definition being ‘A recognition of the wrong we have done to God by sin, a detestation of the evil effects of sin and a desire to turn away from evil and do good.’ The final principal listed is Petition and Intercession the definition listed as ‘The asking of proper gifts or graces from God, such as material, moral and spiritual goods and protection or rescue from evils. Petition is for oneself and Intercession is for others.’

The reason I have listed these is that in today’s Gospel we see two of these principals in the way Jesus prays for his apostles. The first words used ‘Holy Father’; Jesus is acknowledging that God is supreme, and the final part used from the prayer in today’s Gospel we hear Jesus consecrating or in other translations sanctifying himself, so that the apostles can also be consecrated; these two parts show adoration for the Father by Jesus. Most of the rest of the prayer used is spent in intercession as Jesus prays for the Apostles and especially asks for them to be protected from evil. Jesus knows they have a mission to fulfil, and He knows they will encounter opposition. Jesus asks the Father to protect them.

Now I’d like to remind us that we have been given to Jesus through our Baptism and then invite us to consider the words used by Jesus in prayer again. Jesus said, ‘Holy Father, keep those you have given to me true to your name, so that they might be one like us.’ Jesus is also praying for us here. We have been given to Jesus, we are his brothers and sisters, and he is praying for us to be one like him.

Jesus continues ‘while I was with them, I kept those you had given me true to your name.’ As Catholics, we know that Jesus is still with us, Jesus is with us in the Eucharist and He has sent his Holy Spirit to guide us and protect us, this means that Jesus is still working to keep us true to His name. Jesus also asks for us to be protected from the evil one. I would like to encourage us all to take time later to go through this prayer from Jesus and remind ourselves that we have been called to be his disciples and that Jesus makes this prayer for us just as much as He made this prayer for the Apostles nearly two-thousand years ago. Jesus is asking us all to be consecrated in the truth and we can only be consecrated in the truth if we establish and maintain an authentic and intimate relationship with Jesus. We can do this through prayer, reading Scriptures, taking part in the Sacraments of the Church and by reflecting Christ’s love to those we meet. I try to do this in the encounters I have when I volunteer at the Foodbank and when I support people in my ministry, trying to meet them where they are; being with them and showing them Christ’s love without any expectation of anything in return.

In the second Reading we hear a continuation [from last week’s second Reading] of the first letter of St John, which again reminds us that God is love and that if we live in love then God lives in us. We can live in God’s love if we love God and love our neighbour. Our ability to live in God’s love comes from the Holy Spirit. Last Thursday, in a mysterious way, we accompanied the Disciples as they watched Jesus ascend into Heaven; in that same mystery we accompany the disciples again as we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

These nine days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday are the original Novena. I am using the Novena from the Pray More Novenas website.[2] But I know there are others available. I encourage everyone, even if you have missed the first couple of days, to join a Novena because right now the whole world needs an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to help restore peace to the world and bring people from every nation to Jesus.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Seventh Sunday of Easter

CCC 2746-2751: Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper
CCC 2614, 2741: Jesus prays for us
CCC 611, 2812, 2821: Jesus’ prayer sanctifies us, especially in the Eucharist

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are lonely, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those affected by war, those affected by crime and those trying to help these people.
• The people of Sudan and the neighbouring countries who are trying to help alleviate the effects of famine.
• The 29 boys and girls who made their First Holy Communion at St Bede’s this weekend and all those preparing to make their First Holy Communion in the next few weeks at all of the Churches in our Pastoral Area.
• Those affected by poor mental health or addictions.
• The families starting the Baptism Preparation Programme at St Bede’s this Sunday.

Deacon Tony 11^th May 2024

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[1] Evangelium- Sharing the riches of the Catholic Faith, [Catholic Truth Society, London, 2006]41.

[2] Novena to the Holy Spirit – Pentecost Novena PRAYERS – Pray More Novenas – Novena Prayers & Catholic Devotion