Category: Deacon Tony reflects

[1 Samuel 26:2,7-9,12-13,22-23; Psalm 102; 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38]

At first glance the readings today are speaking about how we treat our enemies, but if we examine the Gospel in particular a little closer, what we have is a series of practical examples of how we should live out the Lord’s Prayer.

If we are asking the Lord to give us this day our daily bread, it is only right that if we see someone without, then we should share what we have. If someone offends us, then we are called not to retaliate, but to treat them with love. Jesus tells us that how we treat other people is how God will treat us. If we expect God’s mercy, then we should extend mercy to those in need.

We see in the first reading how David comes across Saul; who is intent on killing David; David finds Saul asleep and vulnerable. Abishi, tries to persuade David to kill him, bit David resists the temptation and reminds Abishi that Saul was anointed by God. David brings peace between himself and Saul, not through violence, but through diplomacy. He ensures that Saul is made aware that he could have killed him, but chose not to, he also emphasised that he accepted that Saul was anointed by God.

In the second reading, St Paul is reminding us that we are all born to be like Adam. We are born as sinners; we are prone to sinning. As Jesus is the new Adam, we can, by following Him, become less like the old Adam and more like Jesus. By listening to the Word of God and following His teachings, we become more like the image of Christ. By extending God’s mercy to those we meet, we become Christ like, and when we finally meet Jesus face to face then He will recognise us, because we are merciful and loving, just like He is.

Three years ago, when I last wrote to these scripture readings I wrote “When I think of this reading, I have to ask myself who do I see as enemies?  I have never been a soldier, so have never been to war; therefore, I have never been in the position of David sparing someone’s life.  But I have been in the position to potentially save other’s lives and not always taken them.  I do not stop at every homeless person on the street to ask how they are; I justify to myself that I can’t help everyone; that perhaps someone else will help them.  But is this just an excuse?  What motivates me or prompts me to stop at some and not with others?  I need to look at that and pray about it.” Three years later, my behaviour in this hasn’t changed much, I am still selective in who I will stop and help. Looking at the Gospel today, Jesus says “Give to everyone who begs from you.” My rational tells me that if I was to do that, I would soon be begging on the street myself. But Jesus responds to that even before we get the words out; Jesus says “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Jesus isn’t asking us to be selective or irresponsible here. Jesus is reminding us that everything we have is from His bounty; whether we think we have earned everything we have or not. We only wake up each morning because God allows it. Therefore, when we are able to help another living being we should help them. We are all made by the same God. We all breath the same air and need the same water to drink, we all need to eat to survive, we all need to be sheltered from the elements at some time or another.

This is challenging, and takes us out of our comfort zone, but it is essential if we are to follow the teachings of Christ. Christianity is not a faith found solely in books, it is a faith which compels us to respond and love our neighbour, and sometimes our neighbour might be our enemy too.

As we approach the start of Lent in the next few weeks I will be praying and seeking guidance on what penance I shall be doing throughout the 40 days. The scriptures this week are a reminder for me that I don’t always help when I can, I help when I choose to. My challenge is to move to a position where I help whenever I can and to be more aware of who needs help as I make my way through the day.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 210-211: God of mercy
CCC 1825, 1935, 1968, 2303, 2647, 2842-2845: forgiveness of enemies
CCC 359, 504: Christ as the New Adam

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town, which is now entering its last week.
• Fr John Chadwick, who is ill at this time.
• All the deacons and their wife’s who are in Rome for the Jubilee events for deacons.

Deacon Tony, 19^th February 2025

[Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8; Psalm 138; 1Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11]

As part of the Ordination Liturgy for deacons, the Bishop asks the priest in charge of the formation of the men ‘”Do you judge them to be worthy?’ in reply the priest  says ‘After inquiry among the people of Christ and upon recommendation of those concerned with their training, I testify that they have been found worthy.’  I have spoken with another deacon about this and we agreed that although the priest has testified to our worthiness, neither of us felt worthy to answer the call of the Lord. In this expression of our feeling, we were joining Isaiah, Paul and Peter, none of these great men in the Church felt worthy as described in our readings today. Whether it is that we are comfortable doing the things we are already doing, or whether we are comparing ourselves to others and thinking I could never do what they have done, these thoughts can influence our decision to follow Jesus, and they can get in the way of God’s plans for us.

In the first reading we hear how Isaiah expressed his doubt. He felt lost, he was a man of unclean lips, living amongst a people of unclean lips; and he believed he would die because he had seen the Lord. However, an angel cleansed his lips, taking away his guilt and convincing him to accept his calling with a newfound sense of enthusiasm – ‘Here I am! Send me!’

St Paul, in the extract from the 1^st letter to the Corinthians reminds his readers that he was also unworthy. He actively persecuted the Church. Following his conversion, his unworthiness propelled him to spread the Good News with zeal; as he travelled extensively enduring many troubles, for the sake of the Lord.

In the Gospel we have St Peter; at that time still known as Simon; the man who would become the ‘fisher of men’ . He is blind to the ‘catch in plain sight’ as they thronged to get closer to the Lord. Simon could not see what was happening. He was too busy trying to earn a living and did not yet share in the Lord’s work to offer salvation. However, Jesus wanted Simon by his side and  for him to leave fishing to others. Jesus did not ask Simon directly. First of all, he asked a favour of him; he asked to borrow his boat so that he could talk to the people. Next Jesus directed Simon to pull out into deeper water and cast his net; reluctantly Simon agreed and had the catch of his life; there were so many fish he needed help to land them.[1] This is when Simon realised that he was in the presence of greatness, he knelt at Jesus’ feet and asked him to leave as he was a sinful man. Jesus saw past the weaknesses of Simon to help him realise his potential. Simon would become Peter, the rock upon which Jesus founded His Church.

There are often times in our life when we are called by the Lord. We make excuses in order to try and put it off. But God is persistent, He has a plan for us, and He needs us to listen. Years ago, I heard a talk by Cardinal Nichols who said that if you believe God is calling you, then you have to test it. This means exploring it, talking to someone you trust, praying about it and reacting to it. If it is not God then it will soon go away, but if it is God, He will persistently and gently keep calling you until you do respond.

That day when Simon, James and John put down their nets and followed Jesus is a momentous day in the history of the Church. As St Luke will continue to tell us in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter, James and John would go on to be crucial in the development of the early Church. Before that they would have to change, and their change started that day beside the lake when a stranger asked to borrow a boat and then said follow me.

Jesus calls each of us to follow Him, for us that also involves change. We need to move away from the darkness and step into the light. Jesus calls us despite our failings, Jesus knows all about us, He knows our weaknesses and calls us despite of them. Jesus sees the potential in every one of us and wants to help us to achieve our full potential, which is to return home with Him; and live with Him forever.

When Jesus calls, can we see past the busyness of our everyday lives to follow Him?

Our eternal future depends on how we respond.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 520, 618, 923, 1618, 1642, 2053: all are called to follow Christ
CCC 2144, 2732: awe in God’s presence versus presumption
CCC 631-644: the Apostles as witnesses of the Resurrection

The Liturgy Project – my reflection for the Diocesan website this week.

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• Fr John Chadwick, who is ill at this time.
• Those attending the 2^nd session of the Baptism Preparation course this Sunday at St Bede’s.

Deacon Tony, 8^th February 2025

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[1] Placid Murray OSB, 100 Liturgical Homilies, [The Columba Press, Dublin, 1988]103.

[Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40]

During the Baptism Preparation Course which we help to run, we often ask the parents what kind of adult do you want your child to become? The answers are often remarkably similar; they speak of kindness, they speak of justice, caring, they hope they have a fear of God, and they speak of an adult who has a faith and a relationship with Christ. These are the things which some parents living in the 21^st century in North Hampshire express for their children. These are the things they ponder in their hearts as they look forward in hope to the days when their children will be adults.

In today’s Gospel we have the Holy Family coming to the temple for two reasons: the first is the presentation of the child; Jesus, being the first born son is presented to and dedicated to the Lord in the temple according to the law of Moses [Exodus 13:2 & 12-13], and secondly 40 days after the birth of Jesus, Mary, in fulfilment of the law [Lev 12:2-8], presented herself for purification; offering 2 turtle doves [a sign that the Holy Family were a poor family], as a ‘sin offering’, even though she was without sin.

We hear how Simeon and Anna had been waiting in the temple for their arrival; we hear their encounter, as the Old Testament [in the persons of Simeon and Anna] meets the New Testament [in the person of Jesus].  Simeon and Anna are the third set of witnesses who reveal the birth of Jesus, the first were the shepherds, who ‘made known what they had been told them about this child and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.’’ [Luke 2:17-18] next were the Magi who travelled for weeks in order to pay homage to the newborn king of the Jews [Matthew 2:2 & 2:11] and now we have Simeon [which means ‘he has heard’ or ‘God has heard’] and Anna [a name derived from the Hebrew name Hannah which means ‘favour’ or ‘grace’][1] bearing witness in the temple that at last God’s promise has been fulfilled and this child is destined for the rise and fall of many as well as being the one who would bring light to the Gentiles.

Mary and Joseph fulfilled their duties under the law, by dedicating Jesus and carrying out the ritual purification.

When we present our children for Baptism in the Church, we are asking for the child to be freed from original sin, and we are promising to bring the child up in the faith.

How seriously do we take our promises?

Do we teach our children to love as Christ loves; by what we do and what we say?

Do we teach our children to have an intimate relationship with Jesus by establishing prayer in our households?

Do we teach our children to want to get to know Jesus better by using Holy Scriptures on a regular basis?

I know that I have failed in many aspects of the promises I made as a parent and as a Godparent. I know I need to improve in this area of my life, and I also know that many of the opportunities I have had to fulfil those promises are in the past. I can’t change the past, but I can try to be better in the present and in the future.

At our Baptism we were given a Baptismal candle which the parent receives from the celebrant and are urged to keep the flame of faith alive. We remember our Baptism today through the feast of Candlemass. One form of the prayer used by the priest when he blesses the candles used in the procession is ‘these candles, which we are eager to carry in praise of your name, so that, treading the path of virtue, we may reach that light which never fails.’ Our baptism commits us to become a light to the world to make it a better place through our faith and love.[2]

As we carry our candles this Candlemass, may we remember that we are called to bring Christ’s light to the darkest corners of our lives and in our communities. May Christ’s light banish darkness and all evil and may we be rewarded at the end of our days by encountering the Lord face to face just like Simeon and Anna.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

The Presentation of the Lord

CCC 529: The Presentation of Jesus in the temple.

The Presentation of the Lord: a symbol of the Messiah’s embrace | Catholic News Agency

February 2nd: Presentation of the Lord – Opus Dei

Presentation of the Lord | EWTN

Reflections for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – Vatican News

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• Fr John Chadwick, who is ill at this time.

Deacon Tony, 31^st January 2025

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[1] Presentation of the Lord | EWTN

[2] Fr Frank O’Sullivan, I Am With You, [TWO IN ONE FLESH, Caterham, 2012]134.

[Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1Corinthians 12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21]

Today we celebrate the 6^th annual Sunday of the Word of God. Sunday of the Word of God, was instituted by Pope Francis on September 30^th, 2019, to emphasise the significance of Sacred Scripture. The theme this year is taken from Psalm 119 and links with our Jubilee Year of Hope ‘I hope in your word.’ In today’s first reading we hear how the people of Israel reacted to hearing the Word of God for the first time back in their homeland following the exile in Babylon. They were moved to tears as they listened to the words from the Book of the Law. They were told this was a holy day as they worshipped the Lord, and they were told to eat the fat and drink the sweet wine and to give a share to those who did not have any. I wonder if this prompted people back then to consider those less fortunate than themselves and perhaps even more importantly, does it have the same impact on us here today? They were also told not to worry for the joy of the Lord is their strength.

How do we react when we hear the Word of the Lord? Are we moved to tears?

When we have been troubled or gone through difficult times, do we find comfort in hearing or reading the Word of God?

In the second reading we are told that we are all part of the Body of Christ, St Paul emphasises this and insists that no one part is more important than another. If one part is sick then it affects the whole body. This is why it hurts as so much when loved ones fall away from the Church or if someone we consider to be a close Christian friend is reported to have been gossiping about us. This past week we have been praying for Christian Unity; asking God to bring the separated parts of the Body of Christ closer; allowing us to work in union with each other; to be one, just as Jesus prayed for us to be one. This week I have been with Christians from other traditions working at the Night shelter, working at the Foodbank and visiting people in hospital. Without these vital services more people would die on our streets from the harsh winter weather. More people would struggle to feed their families and themselves and people in hospital would be left feeling lonely, unloved and unwanted. We all do a little bit; and whilst we should not under-estimate the impact it has on people; there is always more to do. Perhaps God is calling you to consider how you can help someone else. If you hear that call, please answer it; someone else may be depending on you. Don’t be tempted to leave it to someone else; perhaps someone you think is more capable than you; be aware of the special individual gifts you have been given by God; to be shared with others.

In the Gospel today, first we hear how St Luke started his Gospel account, he writes to Theophilus; which is a Greek name which means ‘lover of God’; his account as he understands it, was written for the gentile communities; stressing that Jesus was not just for the Jewish people, but that Jesus is a Saviour for the whole world.  In this passage we hear how the Word of God was fulfilled. This emphasises how the Holy Spirit fires up God’s mission. We hear that Jesus returned in the ‘power of the Spirit’ and in the words Jesus read from Isaiah 61 we hear that ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.’ It is this same Holy Spirit which we receive initially at our Baptism and then again at our Confirmation which prompts us to continuously seek God.

Through Sacred Scriptures and the Sacraments, we maintain our relationship with God. Sacred Scripture is not some historic works which has no relevance to us. Sacred Scripture is the Word of God, it is the story of our Salvation and if we are to succeed in our journey back to the Father; back to our heavenly home, then we need to immerse ourselves in Scripture.

To help us with this the Vatican have issued a handbook for today’s celebration of the Sunday of the Word of God.[1] In the handbook there are some reflections, a Lectio Divina and suggestions for taking the Gospel out into the world with us in our everyday activities. These include carrying a small book of the Gospels with us or having a Bible app on our phones to allow us to read Scritpures wherever we are.

Every week we have the opportunity to take what we have understood from the Scriptures and go out and put them into action and, if there is anything that we have not understood, to make a note to take the time to look it up at home or approach/discuss with a fellow parishioner; this is what we are called to do when at the end of Mass we are dismissed with ‘Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord’ or ‘Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. The Word of God is not meant to be kept locked away in a rolled-up scroll or in a closed Missal, it is meant to be taken out into the world by the faithful by what we do and what we say.

How will we fulfil this duty this week?

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 714: Old Testament expectation of the Messiah and the Spirit
CCC 1965-1974: new Law and Gospel
CCC 106, 108, 515: God inspires human authors of Scripture, and readers
CCC 787-795: the Church as the Body of Christ

ENG Sussidio DPD 25 – Handbook issued by the Vatican for the 2025 Sunday of the Word of God

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• The Baptism Preparation Course which starts online on Sunday 26^th.
• Fr John Chadwick, who is ill at this time.

Deacon Tony, 25^th January 2025

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[1] ENG Sussidio DPD 25

[Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 96; 1Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11]

It is almost 40 years since I married my wife, Pam. I remember that around the time of our wedding we were invited to lots of other weddings of friends and workmates. On more than one occasion, after we arrived at the reception, I felt a need to leave; I felt physically sick. My nerves were getting the better of me, whether it was the thought of the commitment I was preparing to make or worries related to our wedding day, I will never know the answer. But this must have been extremely frustrating for Pam. Nevertheless, Pam saw past my weakness and decided to marry me anyway.

I wonder if the bride and groom from the wedding at Cana experienced similar concerns? I wonder if one of the things they worried about was running out of wine? Running out of wine at a wedding celebration would have been hugely embarrassing for the families involved. They would have been the subject of gossip for miles around, and the stigma associated with it would have been difficult to remove. When Our Lady noticed the predicament the couple and their families were in, she chose to intercede for them. She approached Jesus on their behalf and told Him there was a problem. Jesus’ initial reaction was to state that this was nothing to do with him and that His hour has not yet come. Mary then gives the servants; and us; an instruction – ‘Do whatever He tells you.’ The servants obey Jesus, and the wedding party are rewarded with more wine; wine which was judged superior to the wine they started out drinking. This encourages us to ask Our Lady to intercede for us. How wonderful that Jesus attended that wedding in person. I’m reminded of an image I saw the other day, where standing in front of the couple being married, stood the priest and above him an image of Jesus; reminding us that Christ is part of every Christian Marriage.

This was the first sign recorded in St John’s Gospel to show to the few witnesses that Jesus was different, He was so different that his disciples started to believe that He is the Messiah.

Traditionally at weddings people provide gifts for the newlyweds as they give themselves completely to one another.  In the passage we hear from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, we hear about the gifts of the Spirit and how varied they can be.  Gifts given by the Holy Spirit need to be used to glorify God, they are never to be kept for oneself.  The Catechism tells us that “charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church.  They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.” (CCC 2003).  As St Paul says, the Holy Spirit “distributes different gifts to different people just as he chooses” (1Cor 12:11).  We cannot choose which gifts we are given by the Spirit, but we are compelled to use these gifts to build up the Church.

Do we ever stop and think about what gifts we have been given by the Holy Spirit?

For those of us who have been on the ‘Called and Gifted’ course, do we use the Charisms we identified, or have we let this revelation slip from our consciousness?

Even if you haven’t been on a ‘Called & Gifted’ programme, you must remember that God has given each of us special gifts and I urge you to pray that you become more conscious of these and that you use them generously.

This weekend marks the start of a week of prayer for Christian Unity. There are many examples within our communities where Christians of different traditions work together. There are three which spring to mind, which I have a particular interest in and where co-operation is excellent; the Foodbank, the Night shelter and hospital chaplaincy. In these areas Christians support each other as best we can and we get to know each other, recognising that often, we have more in common than what separates us. We need to remember that Jesus prayed for us to be one [John 17:21], it is His will that we are one and we should all be doing whatever we can to bring Christian communities together.

This Sunday is also Peace Sunday, we are asked to pray for peace in the world, How appropriate that the negotiated peace in Gaza is due to start on Sunday. We remember this region and Ukraine in our prayers, as well as the other areas where there are conflicts and violence around the world. May the peace of Christ, reign in our world and may we all look for ways to bring peace into our homes, our towns, our countries and our world. Amen.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

CCC 528: at Cana, Christ shows himself to be Messiah, Son of God, Saviour
CCC 796: the Church as Bride of Christ
CCC 1612-1617: marriage in the Lord
CCC 2618: Mary’s intercession at Cana
CCC 799-801, 951, 2003: charisms at the service of the Church

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• Christian unity and those working for peace in areas of conflict.

Deacon Tony

11^th January 2025

[Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7; Psalm 28; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16,21-22]

We hear in today’s Gospel that when Jesus prayed after He was baptised ‘the heavens opened up and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’”. We have in this short passage The Holy Trinity, the names of whom we have all been baptised in. The Father [whose voice we hear], the Son [as He is baptised] and the Holy Spirit [who descended in the shape of a dove]. I often tell people when I celebrate a Baptism, that in heaven God says this about each and every person Baptised. When we are baptised, we are reborn, we become new creations and by doing so, we become God’s adopted [or chosen] children. We become part of the Body of Christ.

If we examine the other readings today, we hear that God does not have favourites, ‘but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.’ The feasts and solemnities from the past few weeks emphasise that Jesus came for all of us.  Initially Jesus came for the Jews, his first visitors were the shepherds who looked after the flocks; the same flocks which would probably have been used for the sacrifices ordained by the Law of Moses. The next visitors were the magi from the east, non-Jews, emphasising that Jesus came not just for the Jews, but for the whole human race.

The first reading brings both of these readings together within the first paragraph, where Isaiah says, ‘I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.’  Jesus endowed with the spirit, by baptism [which unlike us, he didn’t need] bringing justice and mercy to all of the nations. God does not have favourites, God loves everyone.

Also, in the Gospel today, we heard how St John the Baptist shunned worldly greatness in order to attain heavenly glory. When the crowds were suggesting that he might be the Christ, John categorically stated that he was not fit to untie the sandals of the Christ, the one who would follow him. Shortly after the Baptism of Jesus, John was imprisoned. John’s mission would soon be over, he was the voice that cried out in the wilderness, telling people to repent and to change their ways. The one who pointed us towards the Christ.

This is a time of year when some people make resolutions, things that they would like to change about themselves. It might be about our physical appearance or our fitness. But what about our relationship with God? What changes do we need to make to get closer to our creator? We are now nearly halfway through January and some of us may have given up on our resolutions or decided not to make any at all. We may be putting things off until the weather picks up or the nights become lighter again. St John the Baptist was telling us to make the changes now, tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us.

Maybe we should be looking again at the 6 Holy Habits, which Bishop Philip asked us to adopt just over two years ago.

“First, to keep Sunday special, as a family day, by attending Mass, the ‘source and summit’ of the Christian life, supporting your parish community. Second, to resolve to spend at least five minutes a day in prayer, at whatever time you find best, using the Scriptures, maybe the Gospel of the day. Third, to keep Friday as a day of penance in honour of the Lord’s Passion, intentionally serving the poor and needy. Fourth, at least once a fortnight, to pay a private visit to church for a short period of prayer before the Tabernacle. Fifth, to go to Confession once a month or so, like a spiritual check-up when you can personally experience God’s love and mercy. And sixth, to join a small group for formation, prayer and fellowship, where you can share with others your own experience and hear what God is doing in the lives of others.”[1]

If we can adopt these habits, we will be living out the promises either we made, or which were made on our behalf, at our baptism. There are helpful suggestions on the Diocesan website for each of the habits, I’m going to revisit this for myself and try and make this a year when I can improve my relationship with God and my neighbour. Please pray that we can all have a good year and that this Jubilee year can be a springboard for the revival of our Church.

Further Reading

The Six Holy Habits – Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

The Baptism of the Lord

CCC 535-537: The Baptism of Jesus
CCC 1247-1249: The Baptism of adults
CCC 1250-1251: The Baptism of infants
CCC 1253-1255: Faith and Baptism
CCC 1257-1261: The necessity of Baptism
CCC 1262-1266: The Grace of Baptism, for the forgiveness of sins, a new creature CCC 1267-1270: Incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ

CCC 1271-1274: The sacramental bond of the unity of Christians, an indelible spiritual mark.

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• Zikora who will be baptised at St Bede’s Church this weekend.

Deacon Tony

11^th January 2025

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[1] Bishop Philip, The Six Holy Habits – Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth published 24^th January 2023, accessed 11^th January 2025.

[Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 71; Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6; Matthew 2:1-12]

In the month’s leading up to my ordination I went on the Camino with some of my classmates from Seminary. We walked the last 100km towards Santiago De Compostela in Northern Spain. There were five of us on the walk and we thought we all knew each other pretty well prior to going on our journey as we had studied together for 4 years. But the reality was that we all learned more about each other during those few days, than we had picked up in the times studying together. We also met many people on the road and shared stories with each other about our life and why we found ourselves journeying towards Santiago. One of the memorable encounters for me was when we moved from our hotel, one morning, to the place where we had stopped at the end of the previous day; and stood together saying our Morning Prayer. A fellow Brit heard us praying and asked to join us. He then accompanied us for the rest of that day, before he moved on to his accommodation and we went to our hostel.  He seemed to spend most of the day finding out about the Diaconate and what it would mean to us to be ordained. I have never thought about how that conversation may have impacted on his life and I suppose I may never find out; but one thing that I’m sure of is, if the Holy Spirit wished for a ‘seed to be planted’ he made sure that we were in the right place at the right time.

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is wisdom. Today we hear the story of the wise men who followed a star from the east and arrived in Judea looking for the infant king of the Jews. These wise men followed a star, when they set out, do we think they knew why they were so interested in the star? Do we know if they all set out from the same place, or were these wise men who met on the road prompted by the same vision and eagerness to find out what the appearance of the star meant? We will probably never know the answers to these questions or how many other ‘kings’ they encountered on their journey; as we only know what happened when they reached Judea and had their encounter with Herod.

The late Benedictine priest, Placid Murray pointed out that “Our journey starts where theirs ended. Each of us in life is on a journey. Our star is our faith: We believe that God exists, we trust in his word, we do our best to listen and obey and follow where faith leads us.”[1] We do not follow blindly though, our faith is led by the Holy Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit which prompts us, sparks an interest for us, helps us to discern what is right or wrong, the Holy Spirit is our advocate, gifted to us by Jesus until He comes again. This same Holy Spirit led the wise men. The wisdom gifted to the wise men allowed them to recognise that they must drop to their knees and pay homage to the infant king. It is the same Holy Spirit which warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod as they had agreed, as Herod did not wish to pay homage; his motives, as we all know, were far more sinister.

The story of the wise men has great contrast built in; we have the light of the star shining out in the darkness. We have the Prince of Peace thwarting a king who was intent on evil; we have love conquering hate. We also have many of these features foretold in the first reading used today from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah speaks of light shining in the darkness, the Lord rising above the people with his glory shining, other nations coming towards the light as all around assembling. Isaiah even mentions the gifts the wise men brought and how they would praise the Lord.

In this new year we are being encouraged to celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope. We are being encouraged to journey towards one of the Holy Doors and pay homage to Christ. Like the wise men, we may meet other people on our journeys, we may hear how they were prompted to seek Jesus in a different way. Equally, we may share our story and help those we meet to encounter Jesus. On our journey of Faith we do not meet people by accident; God puts others on our path and He puts us on the paths of others. Each of these encounters is an opportunity to explore our faith and share what our faith means to us; as well as an opportunity to listen to what God has prompted them to tell us.

These are how we follow our star 2000 years after the wise men followed the star to Bethlehem, I offer my prayers for the journey you have planned.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

Solemnity of the Epiphany

CCC 528, 724: the Epiphany
CCC 280, 529, 748, 1165, 2466, 2715: Christ the light of the nations
CCC 60, 442, 674, 755, 767, 774-776, 781, 831: the Church, sacrament of human unity

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• Those struggling financially; that they get the help they need. May they not be too proud to ask for the help which is available for them.
• Those who support the vulnerable in our communities.
• For all school staff and students as they return this week; that they have managed to be refreshed and find some peace and joy in the break that they have had.
• For those who experienced Las Posadas during Advent. That they experienced real joy and hope as they hosted their friends and families whilst they lived out their faith.

Deacon Tony

3^rd January 2025

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[1] Placid Murray OSB, 100 Liturgical Homilies, [The Columba Press, Dublin, 1988]26

[1 Samuel 1:20-22,24-28; Psalm 128; 1John 3:1-2,21-24; Luke 2:41-52]

In the Collect or the Opening Prayer led by our priest just before the readings today we hear the following “O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards.” We are asked to model our family life on the Holy Family, but when we look into our Scriptures, at first glance, there appears to be very little to guide us.

In today’s Gospel passage we hear that the Holy Family went on a pilgrimage and, without the knowledge of his parents, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, spending time in the Temple, observing, listening, debating and praying. We can imagine the busyness and the bustle of the journey for it to take a day for Mary and Joseph to realise that Jesus was not travelling with them and another three days to find him in the Temple. If we are to use the Holy Family as a model for our own family, what can we get from this short passage? Firstly, that they went on pilgrimage together, this meant that they prayed together, and that Mary and Joseph took their role as the first teachers of their son seriously. They were bringing Jesus up in the faith. If we, as parents, think back to the Baptism of our children we can recall that we are asked to be the first teachers of our children and also to be the best of teachers for our children.

The next thing to pick up on is that Jesus, as a twelve-year-old was just like other twelve-year-old boys, he was seeking his place in the world, he was pushing the boundaries, he was trying to learn where he fitted in; all of this despite his divinity. Jesus, as a twelve-year-old assumed that his parents would realise where He was and as He knew He was safe. He would have assumed that His parents would think He was safe. This is shown by his questioning of them when they found Him in discussion with the elders.

My third observation from this passage is that Jesus; even though He is the Son of God, was submissive to his parents and lived under their authority; likewise, we are taught from our earliest days to honour our father and our mother. All of this was part of His education and as we know, even when Jesus was under the greatest of stresses; at the time of His Passion; He asked His Father to let this cup pass from him, but still carried out the will of His Father.

The Holy Family is a model of a Domestic Church. The smallest of Communities within the Church living together, loving together, catechising the younger members, teaching them how to grow in Faith and how to build a relationship with God. St John-Paul, said that the Holy Family’s home in Nazareth ‘is an authentic school of the Gospel’ and said it was part of the ‘divine plan to make the family an intimate community of life and love.’ Isn’t it wonderful to think that God has a plan for us and our family?

My final observation is that Mary ‘treasured up all these things in her heart.’ For me this highlights the importance of us as parents recognising significant stages in our children’s lives. Taking time out to think about what we are doing as parents, appreciating and living in the moment. This is something I struggled with when my children lived with me. I try harder now to appreciate and acknowledge the various stages in both my children’s and my Grandchildren’s lives.

Earlier this week Pope Francis opened the Holy Door to mark the start of the Jubilee Year of Hope. A jubilee year happens every 25 years and we are encouraged to go on pilgrimage. Wouldn’t it be good if we could look for ways to go on pilgrimage with members of our family in the same way the Holy Family did in our Gospel?

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

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 534, 583, 2599: the Finding in the Temple
CCC 64, 489, 2578: Hannah and Samuel
CCC 1, 104, 239, 1692, 1709, 2009, 2736: we are God’s children now
CCC 163, 1023, 1161, 2519, 2772: we shall see him face to face and be like him

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• Those struggling financially; that they get the help they need. May they not be too proud to ask for the help which is available for them.
• Those who support the vulnerable in our communities.
• As the Jubilee year of Hope begins, we pray for those planning pilgrimages with their family.

Deacon Tony

28^th December 2024

Micah 5:2-5a; Psalm 80; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45]

A few years ago, we had an elderly friend, who seemed to have everything she needed. We used to struggle to think of what to get her as a Christmas gift and one year came to the conclusion that what she would appreciate most from was our time. So, in our Christmas card that year, we made a commitment to see her on a frequent basis and early in the new year sat down with her and put several dates into our diaries. These visits were mutually beneficial. Our friend got some company and often trips out to places she couldn’t normally get to, and we took time out from our busyness and got to know our friend better. This lasted for several years until our friend sadly passed away, and over the years she shared her wisdom with us. One of the things I will always remember her saying is that many of her elderly friends complained about being lonely; but she never felt lonely, because she was part of the Church, and her many Church friends kept in touch by telephone or by visiting her regularly.

Today, we hear of one of the most famous visits in history. We hear of a young woman; who is probably frightened by what has been revealed to her; rushing off to her older cousin to help in whatever way she could, to prepare for the imminent arrival of a much sought after child. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the child leapt in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a commentary on this Gospel, St Ambrose points out that ‘Elizabeth was the first to hear the voice, but her son John was the first to feel the effects of grace. She heard as one hears in the natural course of things; he leapt because of the mystery that was there. She sensed the coming of Mary, he the coming of the Lord – the woman knew the woman, the child knew the child.’

In these last few days before we celebrate the birth of Christ, can we say that we know the Child?

Has our relationship with Christ deepened during this Advent?

Do we leap for joy when we encounter Christ?

With just a few days left, it is never too late. Try and take time out from our secular preparations to spend a few minutes in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Maybe spend a little more time at the end of Mass praying a prayer of thanksgiving for the Mass and for the priest who celebrated the Mass for us.

Or perhaps think of someone you know who does not get many visitors and would maybe appreciate you spending time with them either through an actual visit or a phone call. Through our Baptism, we are called to take Christ to others. Who would benefit from YOU taking Christ to them?

Our God created the world and does not want any worldly things from us; what He desires is our love, and we can show our love for God by the way we love our neighbour and by giving back to God, some of the time He has given us.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

Fourth Sunday of Advent

CCC 148, 495, 717, 2676: the Visitation
CCC 462, 606-607, 2568, 2824: the Son becomes incarnate to do the Father’s will

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• Those who are pregnant and those struggling to conceive, may God bless them with successful pregnancies; with healthy mothers and healthy babies.
• Those struggling financially; that they get the help they need and that they are careful when deciding how much to spend this Christmas. May they not be too proud to ask for the help which is available for them.
• Those who support the vulnerable in our communities.

Deacon Tony

21^st December 2024

[Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Psalm [Isaiah] 12; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18]

Normally I see the Old Testament pointing towards what happens in the New Testament, but in today’s Gospel from St Luke we have advice from John the Baptist on how we can get to see the joy which Zephaniah was prophesying. If we can share whatever we have in surplus with those who have needs, then God will rejoice.  Those spare coats we have, the spare cash we have, the spare time we have, we are called to use these gifts; which after all came from God in the first place; to serve God by loving our brothers and sisters. This is challenging, and rightly so.  Prophets come to disturb.  John the Baptist’s voice cries out to us from 2,000 years ago; do we really need a coat that matches our outfit when our brother or our sister is cold on the street?

Our readings allow us to pause our Advent preparations for a moment, but there is also a reminder that when Jesus comes again, He will come to judge. 

Our first reading is upbeat, with the prophet Zephaniah exclaiming joy and urging everyone to celebrate. Why does he want everyone to be so happy?  God has repealed their sentence and has driven their enemies away.  God the mighty King of Israel is in their midst, they needn’t fear evil anymore.  He will exult with joy over you He will renew you by his love, God will dance with joy for us, such is his great love for us.  What an image this conjures up; God being so delighted with us that He dances with joy.

The psalm this week is taken from the prophet Isaiah, and the joy continues – we are called to sing and shout for joy because great in our midst is the Holy One of Israel. As Catholics we should be singing, shouting and dancing all the time because we have in our midst the Holy One of Israel.  Christ left us His permanent Presence in the Eucharist, Jesus Present at every Mass, in every tabernacle.  Rejoice and again I say rejoice!

St Paul continues the joyful theme when he tells the Philippians that he desires for them to be happy.  He calls for them to be tolerant and content with their lot, not to envy their brother, if they have needs then pray to God; offer God prayer and thanksgiving. 

How have we prayed and offered thanksgiving to God this week? 

Has it been an easy week to be thankful? 

We also need to ask ourselves, the same question the people asked John the Baptist – “What must we do?”  Every one of us will have a different answer when we ask ourselves that question.  The focus in Advent is a reminder that we need to be ready when the Lord comes again.  So, our response to this question must not be to wait until tomorrow, we are called to respond today, because tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us.

I am in the process of retiring from my job. For those that don’t know I have been working part time for the past few years in addition to my vocation as a deacon. My hope is that I will be able to spend more time with my family as well as being able to support the Pastoral Area more in my ministry. At the moment, for me, retirement is a little bit like Advent. There is slight trepidation at the unknowns going forward, with still lots of planning and preparation to complete. There is a joy that my time at work is coming to an end. But most of all there is hope that something better is yet to come.

At this time of the year, the Church reminds us to take time out to prepare, our society prepares for the Christmas and New Year celebrations, as do we, but we, as Christians, are called to prepare for a greater celebration. We are called to prepare for the certainty that Jesus will come again, and we pray that we are not found wanting when that day comes.

Further Reading

Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)

Third Sunday of Advent

CCC 30, 163, 301, 736, 1829, 1832, 2015, 2362: joy
CCC 523-524, 535: John prepares the way for the Messiah
CCC 430-435: Jesus the Saviour

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.
• The continued fight to protect all life from conception until natural death.
• The Basingstoke Winter Night Shelter as it continues to support the homeless in our town.
• The success of Las Posadas in the Pastoral Area.
• For all children and teachers/support assistants, that they enjoy their last week of the school term and that they all enjoy a peace and joy filled break over Christmas.

Deacon Tony

13^th December 2024