FR JULIAN'S WEEKLY BLOG
01/03/26
I’m sorting out books… What I’ve been surprised about is that books that are several hundreds of years old are not wanted. My grandmother, who died in 1952, was an inveterate attender of sales and she often bought bundles of books, some of which have ended up on my shelves.
People seem only to be interested in old books if they have nice spines, so look good on their shelves. Appearances seem to be more important than contents, and this does not apply only to books. So often we judge people on how they look, rather than what they are, and their value is not solely in their appearance. A superficial judgment made without looking deeper, may deny us of the pleasure of knowing them, and demean the person overlooked.
The prophet Isaiah writes: He had no form or charm to attract us, no beauty to win our hearts…’ This most certainly applies to Jesus, whose outward appearance may have been little more than a vagrant. Yet to dismiss him as a wandering preacher with nothing going for him, would indeed be judging a book by its cover. By taking time to get to know Jesus, we uncover something of infinite treasure and importance, guiding our lives and not just appearing to look good on our shelves.​​
22/02/26
We’re at the beginning of Lent, the most solemn period of the Church’s year and what is called a ‘penitential season’. Some people will have made an effort to try and give things up, such as chocolate or sugar in teas and coffees. Perhaps it’s more important to take something on, such as attending additional church services such as Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 6pm, or an additional weekday mass, or Evensong on Sundays (4pm). Collection boxes for Lent savings are available at the back of church in aid of the Additional Curates Society.
The three main aspects of Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. I’ve just outlined what opportunities for doing these things at Holy Trinity, but there are others. Perhaps studying a gospel, reading it carefully and reflecting on it, not just as a story. A ‘Lent book’ – you can find suggestions online. There are so many ways you can make an effort in Lent!
This season is an opportunity also to reflect on the ways we are living our lives as Christians. That is why it is a ‘penitential’ season, as we have 40 days to recognise where we might be going wrong and falling into sin, and recalibrating our lives to follow that of Christ. Let’s make the most of Lent!​