Category: Deacon Tony reflects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Please keep in your prayers this week

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

Deacon Tony 8^th June 2024

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

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

Please keep in your prayers this week

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

Deacon Tony 31^st May 2024

---

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

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

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

Please keep in your prayers this week

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

Deacon Tony 25^th May 2024

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Seventh Sunday of Easter

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

Please keep in your prayers this week

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

Deacon Tony 11^th May 2024

---

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

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

The Gospel today, taken from the final discourse Jesus had with his disciples on Holy Thursday; is centred on love. Here we have Jesus repeating his command to love, but this love is not from some romantic novel. This is a love where one gives of oneself, completely and without counting.

Jesus tells the disciples where this love comes from. This love comes from the Father. Jesus gives an example of how we can demonstrate our love; quite simply he says that if we wish to remain in Christ’s love then we will keep his commandments. Jesus cites his own example of how He has remained in the Father’s love, he kept the father’s commandments, therefore we must follow this example. We are also to follow the example Jesus had given before he started speaking. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, another sign of that pure love, a love with service at the heart of it. Jesus the master, got down on his hands and knees and washed the feet of his disciples. When I see our priest do this on Holy Thursday, I find this to be such a moving Liturgy. Remembering that Jesus was aware of what was going to happen to him; yet He carried on teaching and setting examples for us; loving us.

In our first reading today, it is a pity that we could not have had the full version. I would encourage everyone to read all of chapter 10 of the Acts of the Apostles. In there we hear how God ensured that the Gentiles would be called and accepted as people of God. In the abridged version used in our Mass this weekend we get just a glimpse of this; and are made aware that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit and were baptised in the presence of Peter. This is when Peter realised that all people are open to the call of God. We have been chosen by God.

This is emphasised in the Gospel as we hear Jesus say that we did not choose him, He chose us; just as He chose to die on the cross for us. Thus demonstrating [and again, giving us the example] the greatest love of all, is where a man or a woman lays down their life for another person.

When we read Scriptures, or listen to them during our Liturgy, we are not doing so blindly or in a vacuum. Scriptures are meant to be digested in order to  change us. This Gospel, being about love, calls us to love. So, what does that mean for us as individuals and as Parish Communities when we look out at the wider community we live in? For me, as a deacon, it prompts and drives me to look out for the unloved, the lonely, the poor in our society. Those on the peripheries; they may have addictions; they may have poor mental health. I am called to love them without judgement. As a deacon I am called to serve them and take Jesus to them.

Today, we are all challenged to ask ourselves, what does God want me to do?

How does He want me to share his love with my neighbour?

We also need to be aware that love is not a feeling, to love is a decision. Every time we see someone in need, we have a choice to make. Do I go and help them, or do I walk on by, on the other side of the road? This can be as simple as do I sit and watch TV while Pam is folding the washing, or do I go and help her so that we can watch TV together? Or the times when I am tired and realise I have made a commitment to meet someone, do I go or make excuses?

In the second reading we hear that God is love and we are encouraged to love one another. We already know that we are made in the image and likeness of God, so therefore we are made in the image and likeness of Love. We are created to love and to reflect that love to everyone we meet. As Christians we are called to love until it hurts; and again, Jesus gave us the perfect example of this on the Cross.

Today we can choose to ask ourselves when was the last time I loved someone so much that it hurt? Or we can simply choose to just get on with our day, walking along on the other side of the road.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Sixth Sunday of Easter

CCC 2746-2751: Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper
CCC 214, 218-221, 231, 257, 733, 2331, 2577: God is love
CCC 1789, 1822-1829, 2067, 2069: love of God and neighbour fulfils the Commandments
CCC 2347, 2709: friendship with Christ

Please keep in your prayers this week

• The sick and housebound, those who are lonely, those who are dying and those who are grieving.
• Those affected by war, those affected by crime and those trying to help these people.
• The people of Sudan and the neighbouring countries who are trying to help alleviate the effects of famine.
• Our young people who were Confirmed by Bishop Philip last week and our young people who will be celebrating their First Holy Communion in the next few weeks. May we as their Church family and their families and loved ones be good examples for all of them.
• Those who find it difficult to love because the decision is too painful for them.

Deacon Tony 4^th May 2024

In the excerpt from the first letter of St John, which is used today, we hear St John tell his readers that “our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active.” This is how our faith is meant to be. We are called to be people who put our faith into action; we are called to love and to keep loving even when it is difficult.

When I take Holy Communion to people in hospital or to those who are sick or housebound, I sometimes use the Gospel which speak of the vine. By taking Holy Communion to those unable to come to Mass we are helping them to stay attached to the Vine, the one true Vine from where all of the love we have comes.

When we do anything because we are Christians, we need to be mindful that we are doing this for God. This is not for our own self-esteem or to get brownie points or to help us to look good in front of other people. We are doing it for God, so we need to do it; whatever it is; to the absolute best of our ability. When we do things properly for God, we are helping to build His Kingdom and through His grace then we will bear fruit. We cannot, no matter how much effort we put in by ourselves, bear fruit without the grace of God. True fruit can only come from the true Vine.

Throughout the Bible, it is pretty clear that faith in God has to be accompanied, we cannot be a lone ranger. This is evident in the first reading today. Saul, who had once persecuted the followers of Jesus, had now become a disciple; but the other disciples were afraid of him. He needed to be accompanied by Barnabas, and the others had to build their trust in him that he really had encountered Jesus, been baptised and filled with the Holy Spirit. But some of the Greek Christians [The Hellenists] disagreed with him and meant to do him harm. This enabled Saul to follow God’s plan and move away from Jerusalem to take the Good News to other lands and so spread faith in Jesus throughout the known world at the time.

We, who live far away in distance and time from the Jerusalem of those Biblical days, are beneficiaries of Saul, or as he became known, Paul’s ministry. Barnabas ensured that Paul remained part of the Vine and the letters from Paul to and from the various lands he preached in, are testimony to his work; just as we are. Now we, in 2024 are called to follow our calling and spread our faith by the love we put into action. So maybe today is a good day to ask ourselves –

How have I put my love for God into action in the past week?

What does my answer prompt me to do differently next week?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fifth Sunday of Easter

CCC 2746-2751: Christ’s prayer at the Last Supper CCC 736, 737, 755, 787, 1108, 1988, 2074: Christ is the vine, we are the branches CCC 953, 1822-1829: charity

Please keep in your prayers this week

· Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.

· Those who feel separated from the true vine and are perhaps looking for a way to come home.

· The innocent people caught up in wars and conflicts around the world, but especially those in Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Syria, Iran and Iraq.

· Those who have suffered from abuse, those who struggle to see themselves as being of value and those who care for them.

Deacon Tony Darroch 20th April 2024.

“For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only name by which we can be saved.” These words used by St Peter to the Rulers and the people and the elders in Jerusalem are an extraordinary expression of faith. These words spoken with confidence because he was filled with the Holy Spirit, are a perfect preamble for the Gospel we hear today.

In the Gospel of St John, where Jesus declares himself to be the Good Shepherd, and which we hear every year on this 4^th Sunday of Easter, is a declaration of absolute and unconditional love. Jesus states that he is being prepared to give up his life for his followers and uses the profession of a shepherd as an example. For us, it is inconceivable that a shepherd would sacrifice their own life to protect their sheep. But Jesus is no ordinary Shepherd, He is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus, being prepared to sacrifice himself for us is the greatest act of love which has ever happened; or which will ever happen. Jesus Christ true God and true Man, lowering himself to become one of his own creations and allowing himself to be killed by his own creations so that He could demonstrate that death has no power over Him and that if we follow Him; then death has no lasting power over us.

That is why the second reading used today is also a perfect fit. The Gospel speaks of the greatest love and in the 2^nd reading we hear St John tell us about the love bestowed upon us by the Father by allowing us to be called children of God. But that is not the best bit. Through our baptism we are children of God, but what we are to become has still to be revealed, because “we shall be like him” and “see him as he really is.” By trusting in Jesus, by following him, having faith in him and by loving him, only then we can achieve all that the Good Shepherd calls us to. That eternal pasture where there will be no more mourning or tears; a place filled with love, a place of perfection.

This Sunday we are asked to pray for our brothers and sisters who the Good Shepherd has called to a life of service. That calling or vocation could be to serve the Lord as a priest, a deacon, a religious sister or brother. It could be a calling to be a nurse or a doctor, it could be to be a teacher or maybe even a scientist who finds a medical cure or the key to solving the climate crisis.

A vocation can be a mighty calling, or it can be a calling to do one simple thing. Whatever that calling is, if it is from God, it has to be answered. We know that Jesus called the disciples and they followed Him. Today in 2024, we are his disciples, we are followers of Jesus.  Everyone of us, whether we are young or old, we need to listen for what we are being called to do and more importantly, to respond. We also need to pray that we and our brothers and sisters can have the courage to answer that call and by doing so, help to build the kingdom of God.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Fourth Sunday of Easter

CCC 754, 764, 2665: Christ the Shepherd and Gate
CCC 553, 857, 861, 881, 896, 1558, 1561, 1568, 1574: Pope and bishops as shepherds
CCC 874, 1120, 1465, 1536, 1548-1551, 1564, 2179, 2686: priests as shepherds
CCC 756: Christ the cornerstone
CCC 1, 104, 239, 1692, 1709, 2009, 2736: we are God’s children now

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn. 
• Those contemplating a vocation.
• Those in formation for the Diaconate or the Priesthood or for the consecrated life.
• The innocent people caught up in wars and conflicts around the world, but especially those in Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Syria, Iran and Iraq.
• Those who have suffered from abuse, those who struggle to see themselves as being of value and those who care for them.
• Josephine, Onu & Sofiri who will be baptised this weekend at St Bede’s.

Deacon Tony Darroch   19^th April 2024.

It is difficult for us to comprehend just what the disciples went through that first Easter. They had witnessed their teacher being taken away and brutally executed. For some this was undoubtably too much and some may have drifted away. In fact, at the beginning of the Gospel today, we hear two of the disciples who had left Jerusalem telling their story of how they had encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Were these disciples headed back to their original life and only saved by encountering Jesus, as they recognised him by the breaking of the bread?

We hear in the Gospel that as they were still speaking Jesus stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ We also hear that they were dumbfounded and some thought that they were seeing a ghost. Jesus then goes on to tell them that it is really Him, He has risen.

When I hear the word dumbfounded and try to think about when I ever felt like that, I think of events like 9/11, when the world sat dumbfounded as to what was unfolding before our eyes through the mediums of television and the internet. That was a day when the world stood still and struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what was happening. In short, the world would never be the same again. The resurrection is also like that. Following the resurrection the world can never be the same as it was before that day. Now we have hope because our Saviour has conquered death.

In the first reading we hear how the apostles started their work of sharing the Good News. First of all, they took the Good News to the original Chosen People, those chosen by God to have an integral role in the salvation of mankind. It was through these people that the prophets came; those who foretold the coming of the Christ. It was these same people who were chosen by God to be involved in the Crucifixion of Christ. In this passage from the Acts of the Apostles we hear St Peter tell them that they, nor their leaders, had any idea what they were doing; he says that in fact they were carrying out what had been foretold. He now encouraged them to repent so that their sins could be wiped out.

In the 1^st letter of St John, we hear the evangelist pleading with us to stop sinning, but that if we struggle to resist temptation then we need to take those sins to Jesus; the advocate whose sacrifice takes away our sins. This message is supported by the words found in Luke’s Gospel where Jesus is explaining how He had predicted his own death and resurrection and that in His name repentance for sins would be preached to the whole world.

During Lent, like many of you, I went to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I found it an uplifting experience. To repent of our sins is a freeing experience, it takes away the enemy’s ability to accuse us; because we have accused ourselves in front of God and sought the forgiveness of our sins. When I attended the Sacrament there was a very long queue. The Pastoral Area Reconciliation Service in Basingstoke was also very well attended, with four priests hearing confessions late into the evening. The following day; after morning Mass at St Bede’s; Fr John was busy hearing Confessions for over an hour. It seems that people are wakening up to the true value of this wonderful Sacrament again. The number of people attending Mass over Easter seemed to be higher than in recent years. It feels like people are responding to God’s call. We for our part, must ensure that when they respond they feel welcome and help them to feel at home. In our everyday life we need to ensure that those we meet know we are Christian; by our actions.

It was very obvious in this last week that organisations were falling over themselves to wish Muslims a happy Eid or Eid Mubarak. How many of these organisations put out similar messages for Easter? Christianity is the largest faith in the world and yet the media would have us to think that we are irrelevant. But if we look at what Christian organisations do around the world in providing aid, education programmes, building of hospitals, schools and communities. Those of us who put our faith into action are the hands and feet of Christ today. Those same hands and feet which were nailed to the cross now help to feed millions around the world and educate others. Those same hands and feet care for the sick and the dying or help to bring new life into the world. Those same hands and feet bring people to the well which flowed from His pierced side; where blood and water flowed washing away our sins, taking us down into the grave with Him and through our Baptism allowing us to rise with Him, so that we humans can become like God.

Last week, the Vatican issued a document on the dignity of man, called Dignitas Infinita,^[1] or Infinite Dignity. The Church has used the 75^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, made by the United Nations in 1948, to “proclaim anew its conviction that all human beings—created by God and redeemed by Christ—must be recognized and treated with respect and love due to their inalienable dignity. The anniversary also provides an occasion for the Church to clarify some frequent misconceptions concerning human dignity and to address some serious and urgent related issues.” If we look around the world now, we can see evil at work. We see the death and destruction in Gaza and in Israel. We can see similar acts of terror in the Ukraine. There are wars in the continent of Africa, which go unreported because the war in Ukraine and in the Holy Land have a greater potential to affect our own nation. In our own country we have people advocating for abortion up until birth and others looking for a change in the law to allow for euthanasia. Abortion and euthanasia, two words which conceal or try to soften the intent, which is to kill.

As Christians we are called to speak up for those without a voice, to feed those without food; to care for those who are shunned by society. Sometimes the problems in the world seem so big that we don’t know where to start or think that what we do can never be enough, but As St Teresa of Calcutta said, “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Third Sunday of Easter

CCC 1346-1347: the Eucharist and the experience of the disciples at Emmaus
CCC 642-644, 857, 995-996: the apostles and disciples as witnesses of the Resurrection
CCC 102, 601, 426-429, 2763: Christ the key to interpreting all Scripture
CCC 519, 662, 1137: Christ, our Advocate in heaven

Declaration “Dignitas Infinita” on Human Dignity (2 April 2024) (vatican.va)

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn. 
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• The innocent people caught up in wars and conflicts around the world, but especially those in Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Syria and Iraq.
• Those who have suffered from abuse, those who struggle to see themselves as being of value and those who care for them.

Deacon Tony Darroch   13^th April 2024.

---

[1] Declaration “Dignitas Infinita” on Human Dignity (2 April 2024) (vatican.va)

Divine Mercy Sunday [2^nd Sunday of Easter] 2024

[Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 117; 1 John 5:1-69; John20: 19-31]

Thomas, like many of his contemporary Jews, looked for signs. His faith was based on what he could see and what he could read into the signs which he saw. I like to think that Thomas’ initial insistence on seeing evidence was not based on a lack of belief instead, I prefer to think that this was part of the grief he still had in his heart for Jesus. At that time, the only thing he knew for certain was that Jesus had died. As an apostle, he had a great hope and maybe a little less faith that Jesus would do as he had declared; and rise from the dead. While he has been dubbed doubting Thomas, I think his ‘doubt’ was more a reluctance to accept something; which after all; had never been done before, the Resurrection.

When he actually saw the Risen Christ, his declaration; without touching Jesus was an emphatic “My Lord and my God”. This great confession of faith, laid out for us by St John in his Gospel, tell us there were many other signs which also took place, but that he did not feel the need to put them into writing. Those which he did commit to writing; are the ones he thought [guided by the Holy Spirit] would help others to believe.

In the first reading St Luke tells us how the early church combined all of their belongings and used them for the benefit of the community. Today, the church is far larger in size and has many more people in community to look after. We all need to remember this when there are appeals to help others. Everything we can give can be shared out to those in more need than ourselves; and those of us unable to give; need to commit our offering; in prayer.

In the second reading St John explains how Jesus, who came in flesh and blood, and filled with the Holy Spirit, to rescue all those who commit to believing in Him. By believing, we too can be filled with the Spirit; a Spirit who is filled with the truth and bountiful gifts, These gifts help us to stay close to Jesus and can help us to resist temptation as we receive wisdom and discernment, allowing us to know right from wrong and by doing so; keeping Jesus’ commandments.

Some people may ask why today is designated as Divine Mercy Sunday? ‘In a series of revelations to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska in the 1930s, our Lord called for a special feast day to be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter.  Today, we know that feast as Divine Mercy Sunday, named by Pope St. John Paul II at the canonization of St. Faustina on April 30, 2000. 

The Lord expressed His will with regard to this feast in His very first revelation to St. Faustina. The most comprehensive revelation can be found in her Diary entry 699:

“My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day are opened all the divine floodgates through which graces flow. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My mercy.”

In all, St. Faustina recorded 14 revelations from Jesus concerning His desire for this feast. 

Nevertheless, Divine Mercy Sunday is NOT a feast based solely on St. Faustina’s revelations. Indeed, it is not primarily about St. Faustina — nor is it altogether a new feast. The Second Sunday of Easter was already a solemnity as the Octave Day of Easter^[1]. The title “Divine Mercy Sunday” does, however, highlight the meaning of the day.[1]’ This is taken from the Divine Mercy website which can be accessed at What is Divine Mercy Sunday? | The Divine Mercy and has more information related to Divine Mercy.

Right now, the world seems to be a place without mercy. When we think of how world leaders can make decisions to attack those who are trying to provide food to fellow humans who are starving because of a genocide being unleashed against them. While only one world leader may have been involved in the actual decision to fire missiles at the convoy three times, the other world leaders who have made decisions to supply weapons to either the Israelis or to the terrorists must share some of the blame for this continued assault on a largely civilian population. Those leaders who continue to supply weapons, which are being used indiscriminately, must have a change of heart. Those leaders who fail to bring mercy to the people of Gaza must know that history will not judge them well. They must also realise that on their final day when they have to face their final judgement, how can they ask for mercy when they have denied it to others?

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Second Sunday of Easter

CCC 448, 641-646: appearances of the risen Christ
CCC 1084-1089: sanctifying presence of the risen Christ in the liturgy
CCC 2177-2178, 1342: the Sunday Eucharist
CCC 654-655, 1988: our new birth in the Resurrection of Christ
CCC 976-983, 1441-1442: “I believe in the forgiveness of sins”
CCC 949-953, 1329, 1342, 2624, 2790: communion in spiritual goods

What is Divine Mercy Sunday? | The Divine Mercy

 Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn. 
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation and those considering coming into the Catholic Church.
• The innocent people caught up in wars and conflicts around the world, but especially those in Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Syria and Iraq.
• That all of our school children and staff have a good break and that they remain safe.

Deacon Tony Darroch   5^th April 2024.

---

[1] What is Divine Mercy Sunday? | The Divine Mercy

Jesus is raised up on the cross as a vehicle for his descent into the darkness of death. The cross, being the weapon of humiliation and shame is transformed into a sign of salvation. Jesus, clearly mirroring the old Covenant becomes the Paschal Lamb for all generations. Now there is no need for other sacrifices; Jesus, the Lamb of God creates a new Covenant.

Today, we venerate the Cross. On Sunday we will celebrate the Resurrection. Those initial disciples did not have the certainty that we have; even though they saw Jesus in the flesh and heard him preach first hand. On that first Good Friday, they must have been horrified at what happened to their beloved teacher, and we know that some of them scattered. But we also know, that in a few short days they would see him again; risen from the dead.

This time of year, gives us the opportunity to think about what Jesus did for us. The liturgy is so rich in detail; the story of how Jesus was tried, beaten and executed is etched firmly on our minds. We have all probably watched film versions of the life and death of Jesus, but I would guess that very few of these films comes remotely close to what Our Lord went through for us.

Last night we had the chance to stay with the Lord, watching and waiting for this day to come. Today we have the opportunity to recall the events of that first Good Friday and tomorrow at the Vigil we can be present as the darkness formed on Good Friday is illuminated by the Easter fire, and the Easter Candle burns; lighting up the area around where the Word of God is read. But today is a time to ponder; to think about the sacrifice Jesus made for us and to marvel that if we were the only person in the world, Jesus would still have died to save us and that applies to everyone. If that isn’t a great reason to reflect and be thankful, I’m not sure what is.

Further Reading

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Friday of the Passion of the Lord

CCC 602-618, 1992: the Passion of Christ
CCC 612, 2606, 2741: the prayer of Jesus
CCC 467, 540, 1137: Christ the High Priest
CCC 2825: Christ’s obedience and ours

Please keep in your prayers this week

• Those who are sick, those recovering from surgery, those who are dying, the recently deceased and those who mourn.
• All those struggling to feed their families at this time.
• Those working to help others who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
• Those discerning a vocation and those considering coming into the Catholic Church.
• The innocent people caught up in wars and conflicts around the world, but especially those in Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Syria and Iraq.
• Those preparing for Sacraments this Easter.
• For all travelling at this time; may they remain safe and return refreshed.
• That all of our school children and staff have a good break and that they remain safe.

Deacon Tony Darroch 29^th March 2024.