Category: Deacon Tony reflects

[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

Pope St John Paul II highlighted how St Matthew’s Gospel describes Joseph as a “just” man and stated that this ‘emphasises his unreserved devotion to fulfilling God’s will.’ Under Jewish laws at the time, Joseph was permitted to divorce Mary and subject her to the full weight of the law, which could have meant she would have been stoned. Joseph put aside his own feelings and instead was willing to divorce Mary quietly. This was until God’s angel spoke to him in a dream.

Joseph, as well as being ‘just’ was a man of faith. He had faith in God and faith in Mary, his betrothed. A betrothal, in the days of Mary and Joseph was similar to what we know as engagement, except that it was legally binding. There was a strict ceremony, with the signing of legally binding contracts, exchanges of gifts, agreement on a dowry and the setting of a date for marriage, which was usually around a year after the betrothal. The bride and groom would then be known as husband and wife but would not stay together nor have any conjugal relations. The bride would stay with her parents, and the husband would start to prepare the marital home to get it ready for them to move in together after the wedding. A betrothal could only be broken by divorce or death.

Thankfully, for our Salvation, Joseph listened to the angel and accepted that all Mary said had happened was true, and so he became the foster father of Jesus.

In the second reading today, St Paul emphasises that Jesus is true God and true man. He is not a man who became a god; as per some of the Roman and Greek traditions. He is fully man and fully God. His humanity can be traced through the lineage of Joseph, placing Him into the House of David. His divinity is found by the fulfilment of the prophesy of Isaiah ‘the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,’ which we hear in our first reading today.

Today’s Gospel also tells us how the virgin conceived; by the Holy Spirit; the third person of the Trinity, the breath of God, the same breath which created the world.

St Joseph is a model for all men. He protected his family, he listened for the word of God, he was faithful despite some extraordinary circumstances and he trusted in God. When the angel told him, ‘do not fear to take Mary as your wife,’ he overcame his fears and trusted.

As we approach Christmas day, I pray that we can journey in our faith in the same way that  Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem. He was steadfast, he knew he had to get there, he travelled with Mary and Jesus close by his side and he didn’t allow a personal set back to get in the way.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday of Advent

CCC 496-507, 495: Mary’s virginal motherhood
CCC 437, 456, 484-486, 721-726: Mary the Mother of Christ by the Holy Spirit
CCC 1846: Jesus as Saviour revealed to Joseph
CCC 445, 648, 695: Christ the Son of God in his Resurrection
CCC 143-149, 494, 2087: the “obedience of faith”[1]

Joseph’s Response to Mary’s Pregnancy – by John Haughom

Joseph, Betrothed “Just Man,” Husband of Mary – Oblates of St. Joseph

Joseph A Just Man – His Reaction To Mary’s Pregnancy

The betrothal of Mary and Joseph – The Catholic Leader

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 terrorism and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes and especially our Advent session this weekend.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.

Deacon Tony

20^th December 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At the end of the day we will all die.

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

Happy Gaudette Sunday!

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Third Sunday of Advent

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

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes and especially our Advent session this weekend.
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The Pastoral Area Reconciliation Service on 19^th December at St Joseph’s Basingstoke.

Deacon Tony

12th December 2025.

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

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

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

How are we preparing?

What are we doing to make His paths straight?

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

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

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

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

Where is God guiding me?

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Advent

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

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• Success of the last session of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• The Pastoral Area Reconciliation Service on 19^th December at St Joseph’s Basingstoke.

Deacon Tony

5^th December 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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

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

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• The souls in Purgatory, especially those with no one to pray for them.
• Craig & Bob who will be Confirmed in the Catholic Church this Sunday at St Bede’s.
• Santiago, Natalia and Uriel who will be baptised at St Bede’s Church this Sunday.

Deacon Tony

22^nd November 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

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

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

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

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

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• For the success of the Christians Against Poverty [CAP] money-coaching sessions, here at St Bede’s.
• Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• The souls in Purgatory, especially those with no one to pray for them.
• Koa, Arika and Rowan who are being baptised this weekend at St Bede’s.

Deacon Tony

14^th November 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

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

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

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• For the success of the Christians Against Poverty [CAP] money-coaching sessions, here at St Bede’s.
• Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• The souls in Purgatory, especially those with no one to pray for them.

Deacon Tony

8^th November 2025.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church^[1]

The Solemnity of All Saints

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

Please remember in your prayers

• All those who are sick, either at home or in hospital, especially those who have very few or no visitors.
• Those who have died and those who grieve for them.
• All people affected by war and that international treaties for the protection of non-combatants and civilians are respected and adhered to.
• All those attending the RCIA programmes
• Those attending the Youth Alpha programme which is a prerequisite for the Confirmation programme in our Pastoral Area.
• The success of the Pastoral Area Mission Plan.
• The success of this weekend’s Diaconal conference.
• For the success of the forthcoming Christians Against Poverty [CAP] money-coaching sessions, here at St Bede’s.
• Success of the Pastoral Area Course “Mary – A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother.”
• The souls in Purgatory, especially those with no one to pray for them.

Deacon Tony

31^st October 2025.

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