30 July 2017

17th Sunday In Ordinary Time

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 85:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Romans 8:26-27
Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52

Jesus said to the crowds, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.

  ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

  ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

  ‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’

A Dragnet Cast into the Sea

The Holy Church is likened to a net, because it is given into the hands of fishers, and by it each man is drawn into the heavenly kingdom out of the waves of this present world, that he should not be drowned in the depth of eternal death. This net gathers of every kind of fishes, because the wise and the foolish, the free and the slave, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, are called to forgiveness of sin; it is then fully filled when in the end of all things the sum of the human race is completed. As it follows, “which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting down on the shore gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away.” For as the sea signifies the world, so the sea shore signifies the end of the world; and as the good are gathered into vessels, but the bad cast away, so each man is received into eternal abodes, while the reprobate having lost the light of the inward kingdom are cast forth into outer darkness. But now the net of faith holds good and bad mingled together in one; but the shore shall discover what the net of the Church has brought to land.
St. Gregory the Great, Catena Aurea

Saints of the week
Mon 31 Saint Ignatius Loyola, Priest 
Tue 1 Saint Alphonsus Mary de Liguori, Bishop, Doctor 
Wed 2 Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop and Saint Peter Julian Eymard
Thur 3 Holy Maccabean Martyrs (In our diocese) 
Fri 4 Saint John Mary Vianney, Priest 
Sat 5 Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major  

Psalter Week I

Next Sunday’s Readings
Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14
Psalm 96:1-2, 5-6, 9
2 Peter 1:16-19
Matthew 17:1-9

St. Ignatius of Loyola,

St. Ignatius, priest, founder of the Society of Jesus, and author of the famous Spiritual Exercises, was born in Spain in 1491. His baptism name was Iñigo and he lived quite a dissipated life as a young man. He joined the army and one day, while fighting against the French, a cannon ball nearly tore off his right leg and the healing process was long and painful. Meanwhile, since books about knights were not available, he read the lives of Christ and of the saints with his usual competitive spirit: “Suppose I were to rival this saint in fasting, that one in endurance, etc.” But he was also still thinking about chivalry, and service to fair ladies, until he realised that the thoughts about the saints had to be a grace form God as they strengthened him and gave him peace, while worldly thoughts made him uneasy and left him sad. 

One night as he lay awake pondering such things, he had a vision of Our Lady with the Holy Child Jesus which filled him such sweetness, that he felt great loathing of his past sins. Everyone noticed the change in him and from then on, he spoke of nothing but spiritual things. Iñigo had undergone a deep conversion.
St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.

Trip to Blue Lagoon Sun 6 Aug. €20 includes bus (leaving at 2:30) and boat ride, no lunch (bring and share snack on board). Contact Kumari at 96 631888, or Rosalina at 99 279294, or Marybel at 96 502141. 

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, Tue 15 Aug. Holy Day of Obligation, Mass will be at 12pm in Agia Kyriaki. The Holy Rosary will be prayed before Mass in honour of Our Lady at 11:35

CARITAS PAPHOS currently needs:

• Nοn-perishable food to support approximately 40 households a week in the Paphos area.
• Computer whiz to manage crowdfunding appeals.
• Teachers for basic Greek.
• Transportation of students (lifts).

Prayers and donations always help. Contact Wendy Burdon 99 040294.

Archangel Michael Hospice: Volunteers needed in the areas of reception, nursing assistants and cafeteria. Contact Mona (99 494 140).

Mass Times HERE