Homilies by Revd George Kingsnorth (Deacon)

Homily for 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time (or perhaps a Holyday video of a visit to Rhodes and Simi)

Homily13th Sunday in Ordinary Time2nd July 2023My wife and I have spent the last two weeks on holiday in Rhodes. Neither of us speak Greek, but we used Google to find English to Greek translations. We also looked up how to say, “Thank You” in Greek which becomes “Efcharistó”. Whenever we bought anything in the local shops, we tried to use “Efcharistó”, even though we were often clumsy in saying it. However, the response we got were big smiles and the reply “Parakaló”, which means “You’re welcome”.Rhodes is about 20 km from Turkey’s coastline. Throughout the island’s history, the people fought off many invasions. The main city, also called Rhodes, once had a 30 m high Colossus erected in dedication to Helios, the sun god, but the statue collapsed after an earthquake struck the island around 225 BC. Augustus adopted the island into the Roman Empire and Rhodes became the provincial city. The fortified walls of the old city were constructed by the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, who arrived on the island in 1309 at the end of the crusades. The Turks took over from the Arabs as a dominant Islamic force during the fifteenth century and as part of the Ottoman Empire lay siege to the island in 1522. After six months, the Knights left the island with many of the population, searching for a new base, until they were given Malta, by the Holy Roman emperor Charles V, in exchange for a falcon being presented to his Sicilian viceroy every year.On a trip to the small island of Simi, we discovered both Rhodes and Simi islands had been occupied by the Italians from 1912 to 1943, influencing recent architecture on the smaller island. One Greek feature was the small balconies on every building. Simi is famous for their sponges as their economy relied on fishing and sponge farming. Before diving equipment, divers had to use large stones weights, attached to a rope, to be able to reach the sponges around 80 metres down. The men had to hold their breathe for the decent, harvest the sponges and then release the stone to swim back to the surface. A second diver remained on the boat to pull up the stone. Many divers lost their lives running out of air before they reached the surface. So, when the divers sailed out of the harbour, the population of the small town stood on the balconies to wave them off, knowing this might be the last time they saw them. The population of Rhodes and Simi are a religious following the Greek Orthodox Church. On Sundays most places are closed, except for a few tourist shops. Tourism is the biggest economy of all the islands. Salaries are low, and most people need to ensure they make enough money during the summer months to cover the rest of the year, when there are no holiday makers on the island. Yet, their hospitality is warm and welcoming, just as the old couple who provided for Elisha. The men of Simi had great faith, putting their trust in Jesus, recognising through their baptism they had died with Christ on the cross and were born again into a new life in the Glory of God. Each time they went out in their boats they were prepared to lose their life for their family’s survival. Should they die, the community supported their families.As the Greeks welcomed my wife and me to their island with warmth, they were treating us as if we were Jesus himself. They will be rewarded in heaven for their generosity. In our daily lives, we should be prepared to meet the stranger as a friend and provide his needs, without the expectation of a reward in this world. Many people find themselves being displaced through war, famine or severe economic pressure, forcing loved ones to make arduous journeys in the hope of finding a safe harbour. At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves in a similar place. Feeling destitute through circumstances beyond our control. Our Lord asks us not to judge but to show kindness. We had gone on the Simi excursion early one morning. Our bus was due at 7.45 am. We had hoped to get our breakfast before hand and as we sat down a man appeared asking if we were going on the trip. He was the bus driver. When we said we were, he apologised for being 20 minutes early, but could we go. We quickly snatch some breakfast to make our way to the bus. There was a tense atmosphere on the bus. Later, having arrived on the island, we heard a couple making comments about our lateness. We had been judged for being late by those who did not know the full picture. How often do any of us jump to conclusions without knowing the full story? Times like this we too must remember we do not know all the facts of some situations, can misunderstand and become annoyed. We are asked to be more tolerant and understanding. The islanders of Rhodes live differently to us, often in small ways. A simple smile and thank you often goes a long way. We were rewarded with their smiles and the response of “You’re welcome”. 

Homily for 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday 25th June 2023

Homily for 12th Sunday in Ordinary TimeSunday 25th June 2023Being a Christian is not easy, especially in the world we currently live in. There seems to be so much against those who believe. We have seen laws change in so many countries in the West that is in complete opposition to what we have been taught as Christians. Much of the law was originally based on Christian principles for many centuries throughout Europe and the Americas. Secularization has occurred resulting in so many laws being changed so a few individuals to gain over communities. Thinking in these lines, not much seems to have changed across the centuries.Jeremiah talks about how many people were belittling him, suggesting what he had to say was meaningless or of no value. Those against him were eager to watch, hoping Jeremiah would make a mistake and they could be justified by what they were saying. In our world, those who are built up to be superstars, popular ministers, hero of the state one day, quickly become canon fodder for the gutter press and paparazzi. They have lives ripped apart, sometime to the point where this world seems unbearable with nowhere to escape, forcing the fallen individual to consider the unthinkable to end their pain.Jeremiah does not allow himself to be baited this way, as he has faith, knowing a mighty hero is at his side. None other that God himself, who sees into the heart of everyone, knows what drives them to do what they do and be who they are. Jeremiah is reassured those souls who need to be delivered from evil will be.In our world, we are reminded everyday of the war between Russian and Ukraine, where we are constantly being put under the fear that it could escalate and affect us all. Prior to World War Two there was a period known as the Phoney War where the conflict had not started but tension was brewing. Yet, over the past 84 years there have been many conflicts and threats. The war in Korea that split the country, the Cuban Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the War on Terror and many more. The population of the world has increased from just over 2 billion in 1939 to 8 billion in 2023. There are four times the number of people living on the planet today than there were 84 years ago. The rich get richer and the poor poorer. There are more than two and a half thousand billionaire today, compared to just a handful in 1939.Profit is what drives corporations, forcing many people to struggle to make ends meet. Inflation gets so high for many a pay increase ends up seeming like a pay cut. All around we are seeing the systems we once were able to depend on breaking down. They are like old machines that are worn out and reached their best by date. Each system has become corrupted and the bandages we put on them are only a temporary fix. Paul reminds us that sin came into the world because of the actions of one man and the consequence of that sin was death staining all humans from that point onwards. The world became corrupted because of one act. Until Moses was given the Ten Commandments, though sin existed from Adam’s time, no-one could be accused of breaking the law. Once the Law was instituted, God was setting the boundaries in which humans could be reconciled with him. Adam’s actions had broken his relationship with God. Through Moses the parameters were being laid out in order for God to have a relationship with us again. The Law brought justice enabling definitions of right and wrong to be laid out for us to follow, but it took Jesus Christ to bring divine grace, a free gift, to save the relationship. This process was not instant, it took time. Jesus had to prepare his disciples, instructing them to follow his ways. Like them, Jesus asks us if we accept his ways, and if we do then to pronounce his ways to others without fear, in the same way Jeremiah did. Not to be frightened of any harm, because this only affects the body, not the soul. Only God has the authority of what happens to our souls. We are all challenged by this. We know how Peter fearing his life when Jesus was taken disowned him three times before the cockerel crowed and he was remorseful. Yet, in the end Peter was prepared to die so he could be in the presence of God in heaven. Our world, through the different forms of media, television, computer games, social media, news, and much more tries to convince us that there is no God. That there is no value in believing. And those who do are ridiculed. But take heart. Jesus is with you, if you can recognise him and shift your burdens on to him, he will carry them for you. He wants you to be in his presence, and we should not fear anything that tries to dissuade us otherwise. The joy this brings, we should share with others at every opportunity. By doing so, Jesus will be happy to declare to his Father in Heaven that he is with us forever.

Homily for 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday 18th June 2023

Homily for 11th Sunday in Ordinary TimeSunday 18th June 2023I have collected a library of books which I constantly dip into as my thoughts gather. I pulled out books on ‘How to lead’, ‘Group Dynamics for Teams’ and to my surprise Plato’s ‘Republic’. Peter Edwards, editor to ‘Lost for Words?’ connects today’s Gospel giving us a list of names of the twelve apostles, to which only a few we may remember.The story of the Republic has the philosopher, Socrates, and a moneymaker, Cephalus in conversation. Socrates asks his companion how he made his money, from inheritance or through his own efforts? Cephalus tells of the fortune his grandfather made, that his father squandered but that he himself replenished to a suitable level to be able to leave no more than he had inherited to his sons. Socrates ask why he was not interested in money? Socrates was curious because he recognised that self-made people tend to be focused only on what they made and are boring to talk to. Cephalus was not like this, and he explained that when you perceive death drawing near fear takes hold as you wonder if you have been unjust to other. The fear of being sent to Hades haunted him.The conversation turned towards justice, and how everyone should bring good to others and not harm. As the two philosophised, their ideas expanded out on how to create a just society, the central theme being that this could not be achieved on one’s own. It required a body of people working together to meet the needs of all. Socrates and Cephalus, in Plato’s story, recognised that each person had their own gifts, areas of expertise that could help others, but in turn requires the services of others to meet their needs.The experience I have gained over the years has been in filmmaking and I have taught the subject. There are many parts to constructing a film: generating ideas, turning them into script, storyboarding, budgeting, scheduling, acting, cinematography, sound recording, editing and distribution and much more. For an individual to undertake all the work necessary would take too much time and leave the person exhausted. So, it is important to find other you can work with to build up a team, which not only takes away much of the pressure but allows everyone to enjoy the process.When my wife and I had renovations done to our home, we discussed our needs with a building contractor, who worked out a budget based on the designs we wanted, then organised a range of master trades people to come in and do their work in a specified order. Talking to many they often only saw their bit but not the whole picture, so we invited them back to have a look and they were pleased to see how their work fitted in to the finished renovations.Daniel Levi, in his book ‘Group Dynamics for Teams’ talks about how teams develop in stages and often are not very productive in the early parts of a project. It usually took a day or so for a film crew to fall into sync with one another, then things speed up as everyone is on the same wavelength.Jo Owen’s book ‘How to Lead’ suggests several ways to lead others. Some include motivation, by caring for others, rewarding effort, giving purpose, and building community. Leaders set direction and delegate to others recognising the skills they bring and trusting their ability, empowering the team without delegating the leader’s responsibility. If things go wrong, the leader is to blame. Today’s Gospel highlights how Jesus seeing the people like a flock without a shepherd, in other words leaderless, need his team, the disciples to go out and meet their needs. He gave the disciples authority over unclean spirits, so they had the power to cast out demons and to cure all illnesses. Jesus had gathered his disciples over the preceding two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, giving them instruction to the point where his words had a deep impression because of the way he taught with authority. Then he cured a leper, the centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, and many others, so that the disciples could see what he had said put into practice. He calmed a storm, cast the Legion of demons into a herd of pigs, cure a paralytic, the woman with a haemorrhage, two blind men, and a man struct dumb. The disciples were given authority to go, ready to carry out their mission.Throughout our lives, Our Lord has given us all a range of experiences which help to develop our character. We all live, and work is different communities, helping to make other people’s lives better. We may have been dealt blows and been harmed unfairly, but this is what shapes who we are. Our Lord calls us today to be his witnesses, not to judge but to show kindness and help where we can. On our own we a limited and we can become overwhelmed but together we can do much. The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few. How is the Lord calling you?

Homily for Corpus Christi - Sunday 11th June 2023

Homily for Corpus ChristiSunday 11th June 2023This week I took my mum to Benburb so that she could go to communion in the Anglican Church. As usual, we were all made welcome. This was also a special occasion because Revd Suzanne is being moved to Tuam, County Galway to continue her ministry there. So, this was to be the last time my mum would be able to go to St Patrick’s in Benburb to receive Holy Communion on Wednesday, as the parish will be vacant for a while. As part of our gathering including going for coffee or tea afterwards, we made our way to Blackwatertown to a new coffee shop that had opened there. My mum and I only go once a month as I am tied up with work and on the weekends I am involved with parish work as a deacon. When it came time to go it was hard for Revd Suzanne to say goodbye, in the hope my mum and I would see her with the group before she and her family move away. It was important that this was a good memory. One that we all shared in the future. As the group of Apostles gathered to break bread and drink wine, most probably imagined this was a normal event leading up to the celebrations in Jerusalem for the Passover. They sang hymns and were merry. They were not aware of what was unfolding before them. Jesus had mentioned several times he is the lamb of God, living bread who came from heaven. He says in today’s Gospel eating this bread will give eternal life. This bread is his flesh. When the objections came, he replied ‘if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat his flesh and drinks his blood will live forever.This is the mystery of our faith, when we eat this bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.Judas had left the gathering; everything was almost in place. Jesus knew the time was near. He could see the smiles on the disciples' faces. The big fishermen, the tax collector, his friends. There was a moment of hush. All eyes focused on Jesus. They gathered around the table. Jesus’s words were solemn, “I have longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; because I tell you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God”. He took the cup and said the same regarding the wine. He took the bread, broke it and shared it with them, saying “This is my body which is given for you: do this as a memorial of me”. Once they had finished eating, he did the same with the cup, saying “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which will be poured out for you”.The words Jesus said and the actions he presented to his disciples have been an everlasting memory for all those who believe in him, because through them we each here are able to be in communion with Our Lord. Through a single sacrifice upon the cross Jesus died for us as God Our Father’s Paschal Lamb, linking the first Passover, where the blood of the lamb place on the doorpost became the sign to say the Jews would be saved from destruction, where all the firstborns died. This time it was God’s first born who is the sacrifice that spares us from destruction, if we believe in him, and believe when we take the Eucharist, we are receiving the body and blood of Jesus.In the second reading Paul talks about the blessing of the cup and breaking of bread are a communion with the blood and body of Christ. He recognises that as there is one loaf, even though we the Church, are many people, we form a single body which shares in the one Christ. We are in communion with Christ every time we receive the Eucharist, which connects us to a single moment in time when Jesus died on the cross for us all. At the same time, anyone who eats this bread will live forever.

Homily for The Most Holy Trinity - Sunday 4th June 2023

Homily for The Most Holy TrinitySunday 4th June 2023This passed week, I had an in-depth conversation with one of my sons. He acknowledged that there was no way he could alter my believe in God as he had seen me journeying towards becoming a deacon. Even before that journey started, he knew I had a deep faith. He was witness to this. As he grew up, I shared what I had learnt but I also challenged him to go out and find his own way. The reason for this was that I had been allowed by my own father to discover my path. He respected me as a person, though he too had strong opinions. As a child my father had been challenged by the church he belonged to. He had been falsely accused of something he had not done, and the priest was more interested in getting some church windows repaired, damaged during the war, than the wrong he had forced upon an eleven-year-old boy. A boy who had been honest in the first place but had still been prosecuted. This action had forced my father to question his believes. He was not happy with the church, because he saw hypocrisy. He felt hurt and rejected. Yet, as I grew up and watched my father, a gardener. Jesus shared many parables able the vine, the vineyard, sowing the seeds and how they grew. I learnt much from my father, and although it appeared that we had different views on religion, he did not get angry with me when I chose to become a Catholic. Each of our journeys are never easy. There were times when I struggled with my decision to change churches. It was Jesus who called me. The call in my heart was disturbing. It took several years, but Jesus presented me with signs that showed me he was there, accompanying me along the way. When my father became ill, my duty as a son was to be at his side to help tend to his needs in the last few weeks of his life. At one point he asked me why I was not in tears, especially as I knew he was dying. It was not the time. Jesus had given me the strength to be there with him. The tears did come, but my faith was strong, and Jesus carried me through. My son also struggles, he had been brought up a Catholic, so my experiences were different. He said he did not believe, yet what he also told me was how he respected others and gave them their place. His words cannot be repeated here, but mirrored Jesus’s commandment to love one another as you love yourself. Do not annoy others or be a nuisance, might be another way to say what my son said. Though he tells me he does not believe and struggles with what he sees happening in the world, especially all the injustices, he is aligned with my political stance. As a teenager I was accused of being a Marxist, but Karl was not my mentor. Instead, I was following the examples shown in the Acts of the Apostles. About being part of the community, helping others and sharing. In many ways, I am still influenced by the writings of St Luke as I have been led towards the diaconate. I still love my children from the depths of my heart, and I know God loves me the same way, if not more. He knows where I go wrong and nudges me in the right direction. My son sees me as a man also struggling in the world, trying to make sense of what is going on around me. He recognises his own journey but is still happy to spend time with me, even with my faults. There is a deep bond between us, and I respect his choices, even though he has not followed the same path as me, but then who does. We have our own mission to fulfil, and Our Lord takes us where He needs us to be. Today’s Gospel tells us how much God loves this world, that he was prepared to make the extreme sacrifice of letting his son go through a torturous journey and to die on the cross to pay for our sins. He allowed this as a one time only sacrifice for all of those who believe in him. If we do, we will have eternal life. Jesus did not come to condemn us. He knows how much we struggle with what this world throws at us all the time. If we try to tackle everything on our own, we will be crushed. Our loving Father also gives us space to make mistakes. If we find it hard to believe it may be because we are blinded by how the Devil tricks us. Yet, the Holy Spirit is always with us. When our time is right, he will reveal himself to us. This is when we are challenged. If we still cannot accept Jesus as our saviour, it is then that we need to worry.I see my father in my son, and the same spirit flows through them both. Each teaches me, and whether they know it or not, they are also my guide through the Words of our Lord. I keep them both in my prayers, and Our Lord encourages me not to worry, not to judge, as this is not my place. What comes from our hearts is the fruit that the Lord is looking for, and he knows our hearts best. He can harden them as he did Pharoah, or he can soften them so that we can have compassion the same as Jesus did as he practiced his ministry. All we have to do is open our heart to the Holy Spirit and trust in the Father and the Son.

Homily for Pentecost Sunday - 28th May 2023

Homily for Pentecost Sunday28th May 2023The first reading is from the Acts telling the story of the Apostles being assembled and the Holy Spirit descending on them like tongues of fire. With many people being in Jerusalem from distant countries at that time they were surprised to hear these Galileans talking in their own language. Who had taught them? Where did they go to learn? These were humble fishermen, tax collectors and locals of this region. Many people were converted to Christianity that day because of what they heard and gave themselves to Jesus, accepting him as their saviour.The Gospel of John tells of how Jesus appeared to the Apostles shortly after his resurrection and he breathed his Spirit on them, sending them to go out and baptise in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He also told them that whoever sins they forgave, would be forgiven in Heaven and whoever sins they retained would likewise be retained in Heaven. So here is the institution of Confession as a Sacrament. Being commissioned by Jesus to the Apostles.We may or may not realise it, but time is short, and the harvest is ready but there are few workers to bring in the harvest. Yet, those who confess Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, repent their sins, and are baptised have nothing to fear. They are saved and will receive what Jesus has promised as there are many rooms in God’s House.Only those who chose to totally reject him will be judged. They have rejected his call and refused to recognise who Jesus is. They have chosen their own course declaring they know best and yet what they do only leads to disaster. They have also not recognised how they have been misled by Satan who they think is just an idea and not a real person. He has hidden himself from them. In a BBC News article, the journalist visited a hotel in Boston, USA, to write a piece about the Satanic Temple. Many were performing rituals that were designed to undo what we hold dear in the Catholic Church. Some were trying to be unbaptised, without realising that Baptism places an indelible mark upon the recipient that cannot be removed. The National Catholic Register said the rituals were “nothing more than a grotesque parodying of religious rituals and symbols”. The Archdiocese of Boston encouraged Catholics to say, St Michael, the Archangel Prayer. Many Priests encouraged the Rosary to be said regularly.Many attending the gathering thought what they were doing was just for a laugh, not believing in what they were doing. The journalist interviews a guy in his 30s who believes the organisation aligns with his own beliefs in “bodily autonomy, compassion, respect, science, and those who think differently who feel cast out. His words finish the article, where he states, “I don’t believe he (Satan) actually exits”. They have been deceived and will be judged accordingly.Even those of us who believe ourselves to have been saved still have to keep our focus on Jesus and not become complacent as we could fall into deeper sin. We have to also be careful not to become self-centred but must be on our guard. We must keep on praying and use prayer as part of our defence and to keep on confessing when we fall into sin, in order to remain in God’s Grace. In the commentary for the 60th day of readings, in “Every day with Jesus”, Selwyn Hughes references the pieces of Christian Armour Ephesians 6:14-15 mentions, which includes a belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, sandals for your feet in readiness for the gospel, a shield of faith, a helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. These are the defences we are equipped with to guard against the enemy’s attacks.What we are asked to do is help those less fortunate than ourselves. Remember not to judge others, or else the rules we use to criticise others will be used to highlight our own faults, like a double edge sword. We need to be humble, pray to Our Lord and help others in need as much as we can. We must remain truthful as the truth will set us free, anything else will lead us into sin, especially “pride” if we think we are higher than others.Jesus told his disciples not to lord it over others. Those who wanted to be in high places had to humble themselves to serve others. In this way we will build a community that can trust one another, knowing each will be treated fairly. But we all need to reach out to receive the Holy Spirit who will teach us all how to spread Our Lord’s Gospel and to gather in the harvest now it is ripe.We are the servants of the Lord. At the end of Mass, we are told to go out in peace to love and serve the Lord. To be his witnesses, without fear and to trust the Holy Spirit will be our guide to bring more people into the presence of Our Lord and Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.https://www.ncregister.com/cna/call-to-intense-prayer-boston-archdiocese-responds-to-satanic-temple-s-convention https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65549975

Homily for The Ascension of the Lord - 21st May 2023

Homily for The Ascension of the Lord21st May 2023It is hard to believe that Easter is now forty days ago, when we celebrated Jesus’s resurrection, having been crucified on Good Friday. During those forty days, only a select few had been chosen to be privileged to see and touch Our Lord during this period. Even Thomas, who when told by his fellow disciple that they had seen Jesus, refused to believe unless he was able to place his own fingers in Jesus’s pieced hands and place his hand into Jesus’s side where the soldier’s spear had pieced him, allowing both blood and water to flow out of his body. When next they had all gathered and Jesus appeared amongst them, he went straight up to Thomas and asked him to carry out the actions he had said he needed to do for him to believe. Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles, that Jesus had given many demonstrations during those forty days when he appeared to the disciple, and he spoke about the kingdom of God. At the last meeting, Jesus reminds the apostles that John had baptised with water, but that soon they would be baptised by the Holy Spirit. Matthew’s Gospel also tells us that on seeing Jesus many fell before him, but as with Thomas, there were still those who had doubts. This was where Jesus commissioned the apostle to go and make disciples in every nation. Through his authority given to him by the Father in heaven and the whole earth, he was sending the apostle out to baptise in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching all believers to observe all the commandments he had given, to love God with all their heart and to love our neighbour as we loved ourselves. In this time, often we can find it hard to believe that Jesus, the son of God the father of all glory, sits at his right hand, in heaven and that no power on earth can surpass his. We can grow excited when we hear what God wants of us but then can find ourselves doubting whether we heard it right, or whether we have just deluded ourselves. Such doubts can lead us to inaction, especially when we are smothered with what our modern world pumps out through our television, newspapers, and other sources of media. Even when I come to write these homilies, a spark of fear can enter my heart criticising my effects. Yet, what I am encouraged to do, is trust in the Holy Spirit to guide what my fingers type on the keyboard, that these are the words I am to say. The simple instructions Jesus gave his disciples was to continue doing his work, through baptism and spreading the Gospel. The Good News is that through baptism we can be spiritually born again without original sin. As a deacon within the Catholic Church, I have been given the faculties to preach the Word of God in the Archdiocese of Armagh. But I am not alone. Jesus’s last words were to reassure his disciples that he would be with them always until the end of time. Therefore, I can trust that he is with me, helping me to formulate the ideas sparked by the reading at Mass to convey what he wishes me to do. I must have faith and put my trust in him.Likewise, in all our everyday lives we can put our faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ to guide us through the valleys of darkness that we all witness at some point, and to trust he will guide us to rich pastures. All we are asked to do is to share what we have learnt in our faith with others. Our world focuses on the individual and how we on our own can reach our full potential. In this way, we can become isolated and disheartened. In other words, lose our determination or lack confidence in what we initially set out to do. We could also say dispirited. What is needed is to be encouraged, given hope and have our spirit revived, which will happen if we trust in Jesus. When we stop focusing on ourselves and look outward, we become more aware of the needs of others and can have compassion. This is where Jesus leads us, as he had compassion for all of those around him. To love others.When Jesus was taken up into the air, to be taken on a cloud from the disciples’ sight, there could have been much sorrow, but instead, two men in white stood before them reassuring them that they would see Jesus return the same way. Next Sunday, we celebrate the Holy Spirit descending on the Apostle giving them the power to be Jesus’s witnesses throughout the entire earth. We are those witnesses today, and we are commissioned to carry on the work of the Apostles by spreading the Good News, confident that Jesus is with us until the end of time.

Homily for 6th Sunday After Easter - 14th May 2023

Homily for 6th Sunday After Easter14th May 2023The Dromintee and Jonesborough Primary School children celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation gathered two Thursdays ago with their parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, and uncles in St Patrick’s Church in Dromintee. There were nearly a thousand people in the church for this annual event. Fr Seamus had invited Bishop Michael Router to confirm the children, even though during Covid, bishops had delegated the faculty of confirmation to priests, with the pandemic restrictions being lifted, the faculty returned to the bishops. It is fitting then that a Bishop ‘who are the successors of the apostles’ , should confer the Sacrament of Confirmation.Each child, also known as a candidate, had chosen their own confirmation name, stating it as they approached the bishop with their sponsor. I was reminded of my own Catholic confirmations. I was 23, and my sponsor was my future father-in-law. In last week’s gospel, we hear Philip the Apostle ask Jesus, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’ Jesus shows his surprise that Philip had been with him so long and still didn’t know him. What I discovered this week, is that I had confused Philip the Apostle with Philip the Evangelist, who is mentioned in this week’s first reading from Acts of the Apostles. Philip the Evangelist was one of seven men chosen to serve the community after the dispute between the Greeks and Hebrews. This Philip was a preacher in Samaria and had baptised the Ethiopian man on his to Gaza from Jerusalem. Philip’s work in Samaria was heard by the Apostles in Jerusalem, who sent Peter and John so those who had been baptised could receive the Holy Spirit. As the first reading indicates, though the Samarians had been baptised in the name of Jesus, they only received the Holy Spirit after Peter and John, two of the Apostles, had prayed for them and laid hands on them. This is when the institution of the Sacrament of Confirmation occurred. Philip, as a Deacon could Baptise, as can a priest but the Sacrament of Confirmation is conferred by a Bishop, as Peter and John would have been as one of those gathered at Pentecost, who received the Holy Spirit, like tongues of fire. Confirmation is the fulfilment of Baptism, both imprint an indelible spiritual mark onto the soul, which cannot be removed. The Catholic Catechism says this is ‘the “character”, which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness”.The Catechism of the Catholic Church informs us that the Sacraments of ‘Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist form a unity’ and we as the faithful are obliged to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at the appropriate time. In our Diocese children in their last year of primary school are presented for confirmation.This is an important time for them as they are about to embark on a new school progressing from primary to secondary education. As part of their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation they are informed of this sacrament is one of Christian maturity, which is not to be confused with how old physically you are, as St Thomas Aquinas recognised that even children can demonstrate great Wisdom, because of how the Holy Spirit is working through them.To demonstrate the unity between Baptism and Confirmation, the candidate is usually sponsored by their godparent, and the renewal of baptismal promises is made. This is where the candidate is asked if they reject Satan, all his works and all his empty promises? Then each line of the Apostle’s Creed is asked as a question to which the candidate responds by saying “I do”.All of us who have been confirmed are asked to have reverence for Our Lord Jesus Christ within our hearts and to be ready to answer those who do not believe the reasons why you have the hope you do. Even so, we are to remain courteous, respectful, and have a clear conscience, because we will be slandered by others who are against us. We have to put our trust in God that he will equip us for the challenges we may be asked to face in his name. And to remember Jesus died in body but was raised in spirit. Our Lord promises us that he has sent his Advocate, the Holy Spirit, as witnessed by the Apostles on Pentecost. If we have faith, we will continue to see Jesus working in our lives, even when the world about us does not. Those of us who are Baptised, Confirmed and today receive the Eucharist are asked to keep Our Lord’s commands, which are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. Whoever loves Jesus, is loved by God the Father. If we do these two commandments Jesus will show himself to us. Through confirmation we have been enriched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, now we should be witnesses proclaiming the Word.

Homily for 5th Sunday After Easter 7th May 2023

Homily for 5th Sunday After Easter7th May 2023Last Wednesday, I took my mum over to Benburb so that she could attend Holy Communion in the Church of Ireland. During the service, Revd Suzanne Cousins informed the congregation it was the feast day of Saints Philip and James. She asked me to confirm this but my mind goes blank because I was put on the spot. But how could I forget, in my morning prayers, at the Canticle the foreword read:“Have I been with you all this time and you still do not know me? Philip, to see me is to see the Father. Alleluia.”After the service, the small congregation went to Benburb Priory’s coffee shop. A lady in the group told me how she had been studying to be a licensed lay reader, authorised by her diocese bishop, which allows her lead certain services, to preach and do other pastoral duties as required. As a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Church, I mentioned part of my formation was to become a Lector, which allowed me to say the first and second readings, along with the psalm. At the end of the second year of formation study, I was conferred as an Acolyte, which allowed me to serve the priest at the altar. In my final year, after the studies, I was assigned to Dromintee and Jonesborough Parish to gain some Pastoral experience, before being ordained. As a Permanent Deacon, I gained the faculties to preach the Word of God in the Archdiocese of Armagh by Archbishop Eamon Martin. This means, I can preach the Gospel and say a Homily. I also have a more active role in the Mass, in preparing the altar by receiving the offertory of Bread and Wine, mixing the Water and Wine saying a prayer about the Mystery in which Christ shares in our humanity and we share in his divinity. Both the unleavened bread and wine are presented to the priest to be consecrated through the Eucharistic prayer into the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Both Catholic Priests and Anglican Priests are ordained as a transitionary deacon before going on to become a priest, but there are no permanent deacons in the Anglican Church. Several Anglican Priests have acknowledged there should Permanent Deacons in their Church.Revd Suzanne’s homily, inspired by Archdeacon of Tuam, indicates how the Church of Ireland today is like the one mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. There are squabbles, and calls for reform and often those commissioned to reform discover difficulties, often wishing to return to the simplicity of the early church’s origins. Much can be said of our Catholic Church. Yet, as we hear is Acts of the Apostles, and in many of St. Paul’s letters, there were many churches needing to be helped along the way. When the church increased, Hellenists grumbled about the Hebrews because they felt neglected. The Apostles needed to preach the gospel, but the congregation had pastoral and physical needs. So filled with the Holy Spirit, the Twelve elected seven men of good reputation, who were also filled with the Holy Spirit to serve the people in their daily needs. Stephen was one and another was Philip. Sadly, Revd Suzanne has been assigned a new group of parishes in the Church of Ireland diocese of Tuam. Meaning the Benburb parish would be vacant for a time. Yet Revd Suzanne reminded her folk that they had to trust Our Lord as they were also chosen as a royal priesthood, a people set apart to sing the praises of God. Today’s Gospel reminds us not to be troubled in our hearts but to trust in God. Jesus tells them there are many rooms in God’s House, and that he has gone to prepare a place for all of us. In our own Church, we see many changes. Calls for new ways to do things. But a strong message coming out of the discussion last Wednesday was it is not all about the doing. We can do a lot but find we have gone along the wrong path. In Exodus, God sets out a pattern for the Israelites to follow. To work for six days and then too rest on the seventh. The reason for this is so that we do not get burnt out. Often, we are eager to ‘do’ our best but can stretch ourselves too far. I was reminded during a session with my Spiritual Director, that I need to recognise it is more important to “be”. To be in the presence of the Lord because no matter what I try to do it will never be enough. Jesus loves us as we are. Jesus will not judge us, because we have accepted him as our Lord, so because of this fact we have been saved, warts and all. Those who are to be judged are those who have rejected him, like the stone thrown away by the builder, yet this very stone is a precious cornerstone supporting the rest of the building which we can put our trust in. As a flock, we know our Lord and Saviour’s voice when he calls. We may not always recognise who belongs to the Shepherd, but he knows us all, regardless of which church we come from. We just need to trust in Jesus, when he says, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Homily for Vocations Sunday - 4th Sunday After Easter – 30th April 2023

Homily for Vocations Sunday4th Sunday After Easter – 30th April 2023Over the last couple of weeks, I have talked about my own journey and how often we do not realise that when we see only one set of footprints, it is Jesus who is carrying us and supporting us. Again, if I reflect on my own journey there were times when I considered what path to take. As a family, we moved around quite a bit. My heart was always on being a filmmaker. I remember, in secondary school, I was fascinated by the physics of light and sound when studying this subject in science. I loved stories, especially when watching Saturday afternoon films, usually in black and white. I also remember at Easter all the films about Jesus. Although I had been an altar server, it never struck me to ask Fr Davies how he became a priest. The school did not share such ideas in career development. My English teacher warned me to be careful of getting too involved with occultic things. So, although Jesus was very much an influence on my life, the Devil still had ways to throw snares in my way. As Jesus said a thief and a brigand were attempting to get into my psyche in some other way, trying to reach into my heart to take me somewhere else. Like the sheep in the Gospel, I continued to hear Jesus’s voice and would follow him, whether consciously or unconsciously. The stranger would never be heeded.My career led me into television, but I moved out of the mainstream into a more Christian-based setting. I became a teacher of media production, which allowed me to look at how people were represented in all walks of life, including religion and faith. This in term, inspired many conversations where I learnt more from my students, whether in a college of further education or university. The Holy Spirit always led the conversation. I heard the shepherds call and engaged. We all, at times, find ourselves going astray, blinded by the influences of this world, through television, film, computer games and now social media. Each of these areas has a major impact on our lives, which is why advertising has a strong pull on our behaviour. It is often only when we feel overwhelmed and call out for help that we can hear our shepherd calling us to bring us back into the fold, to be the guardian of our souls. When we realise that the only way is with Jesus, then Psalm 23 becomes more meaningful.All we need to do is repent, as Peter told the early church. We must be baptised in Jesus’s name so our sins can be forgiven. For 59 years, the fourth Sunday after Easter has been a day of prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood, encouraging all of us to reflect on how Jesus is asking us to serve his people within our own communities. We are all chosen by God to spread his Gospel, the Good News that we are saved through Jesus’s sacrifice on the Cross, the only single sacrifice that is acceptable to God for all our sins. This is a gift of Love from God to us. Pope Francis says God’s call to us is a gradual process, to which on our part we are to respond. Vocation, normally associated with work, comes from the notion of a voice calling you to follow your purpose. We each are called to find meaning in our lives, and finding our vocation gives us a sense of direction to head towards. This then should become our mission to discover our own calling. On the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, Cleopas and his partner listened to the man who had joined them along the way. They did not recognise him until he broke bread with them, then they saw it was Our Lord Jesus Christ and he was gone. Cleopas and his companion knew they had to return to Jerusalem to share their Good News of the Risen Lord.Many in our world, today call out for a sense of purpose, a sense of direction as they feel lost. Jesus is the way, and the life. He is the shepherd leading the flock to salvation. He is calling to others to follow him and imitate him in serving others. Those who have found material riches often realise they are meaningless. Yet, in helping others we can all grow. Our church is a community, a body of people. Our job is to call out to others to follow Our Lord. Now is a good time to reflect on how you are being called. For some, it could be to become priests, deacons, or nuns. For others, Jesus may be asking you to learn skills that could help your community. There may be other tasks you are being called to do, for he needs workers in all fields. The journey to a religious life can take a lifetime. Permanent Deacons can be called from when they reach 35 until 65. But the church needs Priests, for without them who would consecrate the Eucharist, bread and wine to become Christ’s Body and Blood? We may be called internally, or others may come to us, inspired to encourage us to journey towards being Ordained. Today we pray for all those who are called to respond and seek out their vocation.