Baptism of the Lord

Webmaster • January 9, 2021

John the Baptist is a part of the stirring excitement of a new beginning of the Good News that Mark announces in the first verse of his gospel. He is the precursor, the one going before Jesus to prepare his way. Mark describes Jesus’ arrival from the humble and unimportant village of Nazareth, in Galilee, in case anyone is unaware of this. Although he is without sin (c.f. 2 Corinthians 5:21), Jesus puts himself in solidarity with the crowds and with sinful humanity. He bares his human body and at this, his first public appearance, chooses to go down into the waters of the Jordan to be baptised by John as a representative of our collective guilt. As he rises up, the heavens are torn open, and the action of God is manifested in the descent of the Spirit ‘like a dove’ and the voice addresses Jesus as ‘my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’ In the person of Jesus, this is the beginning of a new age, a new relationship of earth and heaven, of the whole of creation and our human condition. As several scripture scholars have said: “God has ripped the heavens apart irrevocably at Jesus’ baptism, never to shut them again. Through this gracious tear in the universe, he has poured forth his Spirit into the earthly realm” (c.f. Mark 1 -8). Here is the answer to the cry of the exiles to God: “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down” (Isaiah 64:1)! But, there is no mountain quaking, no violent cosmic disturbances in this rending; it is a gracious tear. The symbolism of ‘like a dove’ is perhaps a memory of the spirit/ wind of God that brooded bird-like over the face of the primeval waters at the first creation (Genesis 1:2). It is also a witness to the gentle action of God that descends upon Jesus to empower him, like the prophets, with gentle service of the poor (e.g. Isaiah 42:1-5; 61:1) and our humanity that is impoverished by our sinfulness. The word spoken by the Father at the baptism of Jesus is addressed to Jesus, not the Baptist or the crowd. He voice of God affirms Jesus as “my Son,” with memories of Psalm 2:7, a royal coronation psalm, and then as “the Beloved” upon whom God’s favour rests. In the humble setting of the Jordan River, a humble man from a humble Galilean village is baptised by the humble precursor and proclaimed by God as one with royal dignity. Three times in the testing of faith at Mount Moriah, Abraham refers to Isaac as his “beloved son” as Isaac and he face the sacrificial knife out of obedience to God (Genesis 22:2, 12, 16). The cost of Jesus allegiance to his Father as yet hovers only as gently as a dove; in the not too distant future it is the carrion crow of death that will descend upon Jesus before he is unbound in the resurrection because of his obedience. This gospel is a declaration of who Jesus is to Mark’s church, a statement of their selfunderstanding as disciples of the new messianic times who are all sons and daughters of the Father because they are baptised into the Spirit-filled and Beloved Son, and commissioned to serve in his name. Throughout Mark’s gospel. Those who follow Jesus will struggle to understand and accept the implications of accepting one who is Son and Beloved, to understand what is revealed to Jesus as he rises from the waters: that humanity, despite its sinfulness, is loved with the prodigal love of God. The first human being in this gospel who professes faith in Jesus as the Son of God and recognises the heavens torn open in the torn body of the crucified One is the Gentile centurion. We are caught up in this same struggle of faith. Baptism demanded everything of Jesus - as it does of us.

Church mouse Update 19th October 2025

By Webmaster • October 18, 2025
Just a few snaps of the accommodation that Fr D has found for himself on this year’s holiday. Temperatures are holding up well and he has found some great places to eat . .

Church mouse Update 12th October 2025

By Church Mouse Update • October 12, 2025
The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Well, Fr D has been away for a week now, with no sign of a post card. I knew that it must be that time of year again when he got the big box on wheels down from the attic a few days before he disappeared . . . . . This is a map of Lefkada which is where Fr D has gone off to this time. The airport is actually just south of Preveza which is on the mainland (about twenty-five minutes from the island). He last went to this island the October before the infamous ‘lockdown’ when Covid hit and all travel and holidays were banned. Fr D particularly likes this island because there is not much in the way of hotels having been built destroying the beauty of hundreds of fishing villages around the coast. It is also famous for the yachting that takes place all around the coast (and at least two of our own parishioners have been known to go on yachting holidays around the island.!). Fr D is staying in the capital.

WORLD MISSIONS SUNDAY

By Webmaster • October 11, 2025
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Christmas Bazzar Grand Draw Tickets

By Webmaster • October 11, 2025
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR GRAND DRAW TICKETS - If you were not able to collect Christmas Grand Draw Tickets after Mass over the last two weekends please make a point of collecting then as you leave Mass this weekend. ALL parishioners are being asked to take four books of tickets to try and sell to family, friends, and work colleagues over the next few weeks before the ‘big event.’ The Grand Draw is the major ‘money spinner’ of the Bazaar and we hope to have sold as many tickets as possible before the doors open on the day; this is also a way of everyone in our community getting involved! Don’t forget that if you are the

PRISONERS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES: A FRESH START

By Webmaster • October 10, 2025
For over fifty years now, the annual Prisons Week has provided an important focus for Christian communities to pray for the needs of all those affected by prison: prisoners and their families, victims of crime, those working in the criminal justice system, and the many people who are involved in caring for those affected by crime on the inside and outside of our prisons. Prisons week raises awareness and generates prayer. It motivates volunteers to step forward and give their time and talents, in prisons and in their own communities. It also provides an annual focus and reason for Christians to work together, building capacity and motivation to make a difference for people who are out of sight and often out of mind. Our Retiring Collection next weekend is for the work of P.A.C.T. (Prisons Advice and Care Trust).

MUSIC GROUP REHEARSALS FOR PARISH CAROL SERVICE

By Webmaster • October 10, 2025
Our Music Group is presently practicing for our Parish Carol Service on Sunday 21st December ; if you are a musician or someone who likes to sing in a group with others you are warmly welcomed to join the group; Scheduled rehearsals are: Tue. 14th Oct. 19.30, Sat. 25th Oct. 10.30, Tue. 4th Nov. 19.30, Wed. 26th Nov. 19.30, Wed. 10 th Dec. 19.30, and Sat. 20th Dec. 10.30.

St John Henry Newman . . .

By Webmaster • October 3, 2025
St John Henry Newman, the 19th century’s most important English-speaking Catholic theologian, spent the first half of his life as an Anglican and the second half as a Roman Catholic. He was a priest, popular preacher, writer, and eminent theologian in both churches. Born in London, England, he studied at Oxford’s Trinity College, was a tutor at Oriel College, and for 17 years was vicar of the university church, St Mary the Virgin. He eventually published eight volumes of Parochial and Plain Sermons as well as two novels. His poem, “Dream of Gerontius,” was set to music by Sir Edward Elgar. After 1833, Newman was a prominent member of the Oxford Movement, which emphasized the Church’s debt to the Church Fathers and challenged any tendency to consider truth as completely subjective. Historical research made Newman suspect that the Roman Catholic Church was in closest continuity with the Church that Jesus created. In 1845, he was received into full communion as a Catholic. Two years later he was ordained a Catholic priest in Rome and joined the Congregation of the Oratory, founded three centuries earlier by Saint Philip Neri.  Returning to England, Newman founded Oratory houses in Birmingham and London and for seven years served as rector of the Catholic University of Ireland.

Church Mouse Update 5th October 2025

By Webmaster • October 3, 2025
The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A very busy week indeed this time as Fr D got himself ready to go off on holiday (it seems to involve a lot of preparation), as well as organising things for our Harvest Thanksgiving Mass and Social . . . . . . On Friday afternoon (it always is!) last week it was noticed that the internet was not working anywhere in the Parish plant. Fortunately the Newsletter was able to be printed thanks to the diocesan IT man loaning the Parish a portable ‘plug-in’ system for the weekend. Openreach decided that they could not attend with an engineer until Monday between 08.00 and 13.00. Fr D met with both parents and candidates for First Reconciliation in the Parish Centre on Saturday morning for their third session of input (Fr D was able to explain to the children that the reason that there are ten commandments is because most people have ten fingers - these were what amounted to ‘visual aids’ around the camp fires whilst the chosen people wandered in the desert for forty years!). On Monday Fr D was busy concentrating on getting the text of several newsletters sorted when the Openreach telephone engineer arrived to look at the internet and phones. After repeating much of what Fr D had already done in the way of obvious checks he went over to the local telephone pole to have a look at things. As it turned our two BT vans had been working in the same spot on Thursday afternoon (underground) and the engineer discovered that they had managed to damage the cable to the church and Parish Office. By this stage Fr D had discovered that the line into the Presbytery (used for broadband and TV) was also out. However, the engineer could only deal with the church and Parish Centre line as that was what he was called out for! Fr D immediately got on to BT and ordered another engineer’s visit (and it goes beyond that as Fr D knows that the Sister’s broadband and telephone line disappeared on Friday too!). Fr D was left with another engineer coming between 12.00 and 14.00 on Wednesday afternoon.  Tuesday, after Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition, Fr D was off down to the diocesan offices for the last time before his holiday. When he got back in the late afternoon he needed to concentrate on getting some payments made to various suppliers and contractors - he hadn’t been able to do this before because the broadband was down. He also sorted the Intercessions for whilst he was going away . . . . .

A little goes a long way . . .(27th Sunday Ordinary Year C)

By Webmaster • October 3, 2025
Although all three readings today seem only superficially related, each implores the readers to persevere with confidence through times of trial. The prophet Habakkuk cries out to God for deliverance in a time of crisis. God responds, not with an immediate rescue, but with a promise that he will ultimately save “the just one.” Likewise, St. Paul encourages Timothy to live from the spirit of power, love, and self-control rather than falling back into cowardice. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds the apostles that even a little faith will suffice to do great things. Taken together, the scriptures for the day offer consolation and strength for everyone struggling with the challenges of daily discipleship in an imperfect world. Travelling with Jesus on the road to Jerusalem, the apostles acknowledge to Jesus that they don’t think they have enough faith. Instead of berating them for this, Jesus surprises them with the assurance that even a tiny amount of faith is enough to work miracles. If faith the size of a mustard seed is enough to uproot a mulberry tree, Jesus’ followers won’t have any excuses for why they can’t do great things in his name. In the meantime, while they are praying for greater faith, the disciples can do what they can with what they have. With faith the size of a mustard seed a person can plough, tend sheep, or serve at table and all of those actions can give glory to God. As St. Teresa of Calcutta wrote, we all have “the opportunity to be come holy through the works of love that we do because holiness is not the luxury of the few. It is a very simple duty for you, for me-you in your position, in your work, and I and others, each one of us in the work” (Where There Is Love, There Is God). How many times do Christians miss opportunities to serve God because the opportunities seem so trivial or commonplace? Or how many times do we not even attempt to do amazing things because we assume we don’t have what it takes to make a difference? Jesus doesn’t want excuses for not trying.  The second half of the reading changes the subject to the expectations of faithful disciples. We are called to be like servants, going diligently about our work without the expectation of reward (although Jesus promises a reward in other parts of the Gospels). He wants his disciples’ motives to be pure-do the work of God because it is right and good, not because it will profit us personally.

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION OPEN MORNING

By Webmaster • October 3, 2025
Saturday 11th October, 10.00 - 13.00 at St Dunstan’s Catholic Church, Shaftesbury Road, Woking GU22 7DT.  Curious about spiritual direction? It’s not about being told what to do, but about having someone walk alongside you as you listen for God’s voice in the middle of daily life. Spiritual direction is a gentle space to grow in your relationship with God, to notice where God is already at work, and to be encouraged in faith, hope and love. The diocese has a network of trained spiritual directors so please join us for tea/coffee from 10.00, a short talk at 10.30 with time for questions, then try a 10 - 15 minute taster session with trained A&B Diocese spiritual directors. Free; all welcome.