Street party on West Hendon estate

We have started and the sun is shinning

Easter 4

The story of the Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde is one of my favourite childhood stories. The decision of the selfish Giant to forbid the children to play in his garden plunges his garden into a permanent winter whose grip is finally broken when through a small gap in the wall children once again enter and play and bring Spring to the permanent winter. There is one tree that remains frozen as the small boy standing beneath cannot reach up to climb into its branches and so it is the Selfish Giant who reaches down and tenderly lifts the boy into the tree. So the Selfish Giant comes to realise that “Children are the most beautiful flowers of all”. At the end of the story the Giant, now old and weak, looks out on the winter landscape of his garden and sees one tree in the far end covered in lovely white blossoms. Its branches golden and silver fruit hung down and underneath it stood the little boy he loved but had not seen for many years.

The Giant hurries down into the garden with joy but as he gets near the child he cries out “Who hath dared to wound thee?” for on the palms of the child’s hands were the print of two nails and the prints of two nails on his feet. “Tell me that I may take my big sword and slay him”. “Nay” answered the child “but these are the wounds of Love”. The child smiled on the Giant and said to him “You let me play once in your garden, today you shall come with me to my garden, which is Paradise”. And so when the children ran in that afternoon they found the Giant lying dead under the tree, all covered with white blossoms.

“I am the gate for the sheep.” Says Jesus

In the Story of the Selfish Giant it is he that prevents the children from playing in the garden,  it was his reaction of anger and jealousy when he saw the children playing in his garden, that led him to build the high wall so as to keep them out. It was when he reached out to help a small boy climb a tree that broke the spell of winter in his garden and the hardness of his own heart.

To think of the Church as a garden is not as strange as it may seem. The Bible starts in a garden created by God and into which is placed humanity. The images used by Jesus speaking about the Kingdom of God point to a place where people can grow, be transformed and yes even have fun. Can this not also be true of the Church?

We are gates to the church by the way in which we make welcome the stranger or the visitor. In the book of Acts we are given a glimpse or snapshot of the early church. People met in each others homes and when they were together they broke bread and recalled the life of the Risen Jesus. We read that they “enjoyed the favour of all the people, and the Lord added to their number daily”  Acts 2.47 The link between growth and “favour” Literally being open and friendly; being welcoming and supportive is obvious. Therefore if it was the case then it is still the case today.

The road to such openness and welcome still stretched before us as we negotiate the perilous landscape of our day, the competing demands for us to either allow or forbid. This journey of course carries the memories of so many who have come to us, come to the church, and found not a beautiful garden where they can flourish but a high wall of selfish resentment blocking their way.

Divine Mercy Sunday

St John Paul II, canonised today, was a great advocate of associating this Sunday with the divine mercy. Here are some words from a sermon of his on the subject:

In the Messiah, crucified and risen, we recognize the features of the Lamb sacrificed on Golgotha, who implores forgiveness for His torturers and opens the gates of heaven to repentant sinners; we glimpse the face of the immortal King who now has "the keys of Death and Hades" (Rev 1:18).

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever! (Ps 117:1). Let us make our own the Psalmist's exclamation which we sang in the Responsorial Psalm: "The Lord's mercy endures forever!" In order to understand thoroughly the truth of these words, let us be led by the liturgy to the heart of the event of salvation, which unites Christ's Death and Resurrection with our lives and with the world's history. This miracle of mercy has radically changed humanity's destiny. It is a miracle in which is unfolded the fullness of the love of the Father who, for our redemption, does not even draw back before the sacrifice of His Only-begotten Son. 

Alleluia Christ is risen!!

We gathered in the night to rekindle the fire of love and renew our baptismal faith as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord from the dead. 

Congratulations to Rio Martins who was baptised today 

The Judas Tree

Fr John used this powerful poem as part of his homily on Maundy Thursday. In these dark hours of Holy Saturday I've found myself reflecting back on the words of the poet on remarkable forgiveness of Love. 

In Hell there grew a Judas Tree
Where Judas hanged and died
Because he could not bear to see
His master crucified

Our Lord descended into Hell
And found his Judas there
For ever haning on the tree
Grown from his own despair

So Jesus cut his Judas down
And took him in his arms
"It was for this I came" he said
"And not to do you harm

My Father gave me twelve good men
And all of them I kept
Though one betrayed and one denied
Some fled and others slept

In three days' time I must return
To make the others glad
But first I had to come to Hell
And share the death you had

My tree will grow in place of yours
Its roots lie here as well
There is no final victory
Without this soul from Hell"

So when we all condemned him
As of every traitor worst
Remember that of all his men
Our Lord forgave him first

Ruth Etchells

Maundy Thursday

The morning Chrism Mass at the cathedral 

The clergy of the diocese gathered outside st Paul's to be blessed by the bishop and sent out to show the love of christ to the city

In the evening we celebrate the Mass of the last supper with foot washing and keep vigil at the altar of repose - here is St Matthias 

Holy Week Women

It is Holy Week, and with the Church throughout the world, our parishes are reflecting on the events leading up to Jesus' death. In a series of sermons at Mass on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we will think about some of the women from gospel and other traditional accounts of Jesus' last earthly days:

Monday 7:30pm, St Matthias - Mary of Bethany

Tuesday 10am, St Matthias - Veronica

Wednesday 11am, St John - our Lady

Please try to get along if you can. Even if you can't, perhaps you could make finding out more about these characters part of your observance of Holy Week.

A different sort of Palm Sunday procession

Today on Palm Sunday many gathered in churches around the world and processed with palms to remember Jesus' entry in to Jerusalem. I didn't. I decided to walk to the junction of Commercial Road and Butchers Row, round the corner from where I live, to see the London Marathon runners go by. As daft as this might sound it really made me think about Jesus' coming into Jerusalem. 

There was something about shouting and cheering as the runners came past, being part of a crowd that had a life of it's own. Looking out at first for the elite runners, looking together for the helicopters and motorbikes that would herald their coming. We did not shout hosanna, but 'woo hooo' and 'go [insert name on t-shirt here]'. It was all good fun as the elite athletes of all abilities came past. But then came Mo. 

When the Men's Elite runners came up West India Dock road a huge ripple spread down the lines of spectators. The leading runners bounced past with a flutter of cheers, then came the rest of the leading pack, the flutter growing. Then as Olympic hero Mo Farah got nearer the flutter grew to a roar of 'Go Mo, Go Mo!'

While Mo and tiredly grinned and made his way towards the 21 mile mark, many gathered at that corner wandered away. I walked back home to see Mo finish on the telly, with a pot of tea. Seeing this proud Londoner come in 8th in his first ever Marathon with a time of 2 hours and 8 minutes was great. True he had hoped to be faster, but wow. In the interview moments after he crossed the line he was his typically chirpy self and although a bit disappointed stated that he could not have run his first marathon anywhere else and he'd be back!

Then came the commentary. 'Mo fails to win first marathon.' 'Mo fails to break British record.' 'Mo should stick to the track.' So quickly the euphoria  of the crowd faded as voice after voice came over the t.v. pointing out every error the athlete had made. 'He should have gone with the front back.' 'He messed up his drink stops.' 'He should have done an easier marathon first.'


An this is when my mind pulled me back to Palm Sunday. As Jesus entered Jerusalem the crowds yelled 'hosanna' and threw their coats down for his ass to walk on. I wonder how long it took for those cheering into Jerusalem to start critiquing Jesus. 'A donkey? A king should come on a horse.' 'Why's he come to Jerusalem? Shouldn't he have tried regaining in Galilee first.' 'He should stick with preaching in backwaters - he's not ready for the big time.'


We know that the same voices that shouted 'Hosanna' as Jesus came by, were among those that yelled 'Crucify' just five days later. Two crowds, two very different atmospheres. Voices excited and engaged by this unassuming king entering the city on a donkey are turned in five days to become angry and have dehumanised a man enough to call for his death.

Palm Sunday

‘Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heavens!’

Holy Week began today with the bittersweet Palm Sunday liturgy, which combines a celebration of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the reading of the Passion gospel.

Our observance of Holy Week takes place at both churches. Service times can be found via the 'What's On' tags at the top of the page.

A Friday evening in West Hendon

Demonstrating down the A5 against the treatment of unsecure tenants, some denied a tenancy agreement for 10 years.

Marchers gather outside the hall at St Matthias:

Passion and plenty

Handing out free coffee and hot cross buns outside Colindale station this morning:

The Fifth Sunday in Lent

...or 'Passion Sunday' as it used to be known. From this point onwards, the Church's thoughts are directed increasingly towards the betrayal, arrest, passion, and death of Jesus. Our worship takes on a more sombre tone, and our statues and crosses are veiled. It is almost as though we are in mourning, awaiting the joy of Easter.

Example of veiling, via the internet!

And yet we're given the story of the raising of Lazarus, as our gospel reading. Why?

Lazarus being raised, from a stone tomb on the third day of Jesus' absence points forward to Jesus' resurrection. It is the occasion for the famous words "I am the Resurrection and the Life". We recall Jesus' death in the light of his resurrection. We are not simply commemorating a sad event, the torture and execution of a prisoner, a notable example of human sin. We certainly are doing that, but we are also celebrating a victory - the victory of the crucified God over death.

Yet it is a tragic victory, hard won through pain and suffering. And it is significant that today's gospel contains the shortest verse in the English Bible - 'Jesus wept'. In Jesus, God has suffered as a human being. He knows, and understands, our hurt and pain, our loss and our desperation. No matter where we are in life, we can bring it to him. As we journey through the next two weeks to Calvary and beyond, let's not lose sight of that.

The Annunciation

Today the Church celebrates the angel's visit to Mary.

"Today marks the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the grace. Wherefore, we also cry out with him, "Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you."

Orthodox Apolytikion of the feast 

St Joseph

Starting this evening, and continuing through tomorrow, we celebrate St Joseph.

St Joseph, the worker, is the patron saint of workers. In a world of sweatshops, and a more immediate context of national unemployment, zero hour contracts, insecurity, and low wages, he is a deeply relevant saint.

St Joseph, the guardian of Christ, is the patron saint of the Church, the Body of Christ on earth. In a church divided over so many issues, and still working out how to exist in the modern world, he is a deeply relevant saint.

St Joseph, who died in the presence of Jesus and Mary, is the patron saint of dying. In a society which runs away from death, with many of us in denial about our own mortality, he is a deeply relevant saint.

May St Joseph pray for us as we celebrate his feast day.

Second Sunday of Lent - Who are you?

Here is a true story from United Airlines in Denver USA.  A crowed United flight was canceled and a single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS."

The agent replied, "I'm sorry sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first, and I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "Do you have any idea who I am?"

Without hesitating, the gate agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone.

"May I have your attention please?" she began, her voice bellowing throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at the gate WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to gate 17."

We are often asked the question who are you? and our usual reply is to give our name, where we are from and what kind of work we do. The truth is we carry around a great deal of information concerning our identity – store loyality cards, credit cards photo ID in the form of driving licences or gymn membership.

Sometimes in visiting homes I see framed certificates indicating significant levels of achievement in the world of academia –degrees, courses undertaken etc  but curiously I have never seen a marriage certificate framed and on the wall in a family home? In food outlets there are framed certificates on food hygiene (always a year out of date of course ) in church now we have to put up our insurance certificate to make people feel healthy and safe and in doctors surgeries or lawyers office certificates reassure us that the person on the other side of the desk really does know what they are talking about and are the person they claim to be.

There’s one piece of paper that I have, and maybe you do too tucked away safely in a shoebox or drawer. Like most certificates it doesn’t see the light of day very often. I’m talking about your baptismal certificate. Here is mine!

This certificate proves who you are but it has nothing to do with how clever you are, what schools you went to, what organisations you belong to or anything like that.  This is one certificate you didn’t have to work for. It was given to you, not because you were particularly good, or because you have earned it in some way. Your baptismal certificate was simply given to you as an act of Love.

This certificate refers to something that God did for me. This doesn’t state what I did, it states who I am.

On the day of our baptism, through a very simple act involving a few drops of water along with God’s Name, a wonderful new relationship with God was begun. God did something for us. He made a commitment to each of us, to love us for eternity.

Nicodemus came to Jesus one night. He is curious and confused as the words of this “Man from God” seem to be at odds with his own understanding and religious practice. How ludicrous Nicodemus thinks when told he must be born again.

The new birth that Jesus is talking about is from above. Getting into the Kingdom of God is not something we are able to accomplish; it is something that comes "from above", given by God, freely and graciously.

Through our Baptism we are called into a relationship, called to be obedient to Christ, to follow Christ

Jesus’ call of grace always involves the response of obedience to follow him; 
it means commitment and dedication to his work through his church; 
it requires us as children of God to seek justice and mercy in the issues that arise in our community; 
it entails letting Christ’s love be our guiding force as we deal with those who challenge our patience; 
it means us being Christ to others.

My Baptism certificate is only a piece of paper. It has no magical powers. But it does remind me that God has given me the thumbs up. 
Our baptism tells us that we have God's tick of approval on us. Like me, you’ve probably got all kinds of documents and certificates that remind you of your achievements. Your baptism reminds you of what God has done for you and who you are – a child of God.

Holy Week Service times

Lent is not an end in itself. It is a time of getting ready.

We are getting ready for Holy Week and especially for the Easter Triduum, the great three days, in which we celebrate Jesus' passing over from death to life. The wonderful, dramatic, celebrations of these days are incredibly moving, and well worth attending, no matter what stage you are at in your Christian life (or even if you're simply wondering if Christianity might be for you!) Please put them in your diary, and try to get along.

We now have times for our Holy Week services. They are the same at both churches.

Holy Week

On the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week sermons at Mass will focus on 'The Women of Holy Week'

Monday  14th April– St  Matthias 7.30pm Mary of Bethany

 Tuesday 15th April - St Matthias 10.00am Veronica

Wednesday 16th April – St John 11.00am  Our Lady

The Easter Triddum - The Passover of the Lord

HOLY THURSDAY, 17th April, 8pm

Mass of the Lord's Supper, with footwashing and procession to the altar of repose.

Followed by a vigil of prayer until midnight.

GOOD FRIDAY, 18th April

9.30am Churches Together in Hendon and Colindale procession of witness. Meet at Our Lady of Dolores, Egerton Gardens.

1pm Confessions.

2pm LITURGY OF THE CROSS.

HOLY SATURDAY, 19th APRIL

8pm EASTER VIGIL AND FIRST MASS OF EASTER. Followed by a party!

Everyone is welcome to all these services!