Author Archives: Dean Atkins

Readings: Acts 4:13-21; Psalm 117(118):1,14-21; Mark 16:9-15 (You can find these in full on the Universalis website – Click here) Homilies often begin with an illustration from everyday life.  But today, let’s get straight to the point, which is what St Mark does in the gospel reading today.  In typical succinct tone, he sums upContinue reading “Easter Saturday”

Readings: Acts 3:1-10; Psalm 104 (105):1-4,6-9; Luke 24:13-35 Martin Buber, the Austrian Jewish and Israeli philosopher said, “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware.”  This is certainly the case for those two disciples of Jesus who made their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  Perhaps they wished to make the journey asContinue reading “Easter Wednesday”

Readings: Acts 2:36-41; Psalm 32 (33):4-5,18-20,22; John 20:11-18 ‘On the court, I am fierce! I am mean and I am tough,’ said the American tennis player Serena Williams in an interview for Vogue Magazine in 2005.  ‘I am completely the opposite off the court,’ she continued.  ‘My confidence just isn’t the same.  I wish IContinue reading “Easter Tuesday”

Readings: Acts 2:14,22-33; Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-11; Matthew 28:8-15 Apparently, each of us lies at least once or twice a day, although prolific liars will, of course, lie in greater numbers!  The lies we often tell may be such seemingly trivial things as providing a false complement to someone, or concealing how we really feel when asked,Continue reading “Easter Monday”

‘We are called to surrender ourselves to God, so that we can say with St Paul, “It is not I who live but Christ who lives in me.’’ Read the homily from the Easter Vigil at St Mary’s Church. “The guards were so shaken, so frightened of [the angel] that they were like dead men.”Continue reading “Easter Vigil”

‘The death of Christ leaves its mark upon us, and it is the mark of Love.’ Fr Dean’s reflection at the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday He lay there for weeks. A thin bed sheet, like a death shroud, covered him even before he had given up the ghost. The sheet wasContinue reading “Good Friday”

The command to love one another is one that can guide us through whatever confusion and chaos we might experience in this world. Here, Fr Edward reflects on this command for our Maundy Thursday celebrations. Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and goContinue reading “Maundy Thursday”

‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you’ (see Matthew 26:14-25) The United Kingdom is a destination country for men, women and children primarily from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe who are subjected to human trafficking for the purposes of sexual slavery and forced labour.  Whilst the maximum jailContinue reading “Wednesday of Holy Week”