1 July 2018

13th Sunday Ordinary Time

1st: Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24
Ps: 29:2,4-6,11-13
2nd: 2 Corinthians 8:7,9,13-15
Gospel: Mark 5:21-24,35-43

When Jesus had crossed in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lakeside. Then one of the synagogue officials came up, Jairus by name, and seeing him, fell at his feet and pleaded with him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her to make her better and save her life.’ Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; they were pressing all round him.
While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, ‘Your daughter is dead: why put the Master to any further trouble?’ But Jesus had overheard this remark of theirs and he said to the official, ‘Do not be afraid; only have faith.’ And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. So they came to the official’s house and Jesus noticed all the commotion, with people weeping and wailing unrestrainedly. He went in and said to them, ‘Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.’ But they laughed at him. So he turned them all out and, taking with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her, ‘Talitha, kum!’ which means, ‘Little girl, I tell you to get up.’ The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. At this they were overcome with astonishment, and he ordered them strictly not to let anyone know about it, and told them to give her something to eat.

The death of the soul

And we may remark, that lighter and daily errors may be cured by the remedy of a lighter penance. Wherefore the Lord raises the damsel, lying in the inner chamber with a very easy cry, saying, “Damsel, arise;” but that he who had been four days dead might quit the prison of the tomb, He groaned in spirit, He was troubled, He shed tears. In proportion, then, as the death of the soul presses the more heavily, so much the more ardently must the fervour of the penitent press forward. But this too must be observed, that a public crime requires a public reparation; wherefore Lazarus, when called from the sepulchre, was placed before the eyes of the people: but slight sins require to be washed out by a secret penance, wherefore the damsel lying in the house is raised up before few witnesses, and those are desired to tell no man.
St. Bede the Venerable, Catena Aurea

THIS WEEK’S FEASTS
Tue 3 St. Thomas Apostle Feast
Wed 4 St. Elizabeth of Portugal
Thu 5 St. Antony Mary Zaccaria, Priest
Fri 6 St. Maria Goretti, Virgin, Martyr
Sat 7 BVM Memorial

Psalter week I

Next week:
1st: Ezekiel 2:2-5
Ps: 122
2nd: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

St. Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal

St. Elizabeth (or Isabel), named after her great-aunt, Elizabeth of Hungary, was born in 1271 to Pedro III, King of Aragon, and Constantia, grandchild of Emperor Frederick II. A strict and pious education taught her to practice penance and works of charity towards the poor and sick even from childhood. She married Denis, King of Portugal, a man known for his corrupt court and bad morals, who even had children with other women. Elizabeth, however, kept her piety trying to win her husband over by gentleness and forbearance, which God only granted until late in life. They had two children, Constantia and Affonso, the latter, unwilling to forgive his father for having illegitimate children, declared war in 1323, but the queen managed to reconcile them; this earned her the title of “Peacemaker.” After king Denis died, St. Elizabeth became a Franciscan Tertiary devoting her life to the poor and the sick. In 1336 king Affonso sent his troops against the King of Castile, who after marrying Maria, Affonso’s daughter, was neglecting and mistreating her. Once more, St. Elizabeth went to the battlefield to stop the fighting and both parties reconciled. The exertion, however, proved too much for the weakened body of the penitent queen. She died at the age of 65 full of heavenly joy, and exhorting her son to live in holiness and peace. She was buried at Coimbra, where many miracles followed her death.
St. Elizabeth, pray for us.

Monthly Parish Lunch– 8 July at the Parish Hall. Bring and share. All are welcome.

Join St. Paul’s 100 CLUB You can win a €50 prize (3x a year) with €2 a week. To help the emergency fund of the Parish. Call Ruth 99040294.

CARITAS Paphos Assisting the vulnerable in the Paphos area. If you can lend a helping hand, call Wendy 9904 0294. Prayers welcome!

Mass Times HERE