8 July 2018
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
1st: Ezekiel 2:2-5
Ps: 122
2nd: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Gospel: Mark 6:1-6
A prophet is only despised in his own country
Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised- in his own country among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
He Was Amazed
It is not as if He Who knows all things beforehand was amazed at something unexpected, but knowing the hidden things of the heart, and wishing to let men know that it was amazing, He openly shows that He is amazed. And indeed the blindness of the Jews is amazing, for they neither believed what their prophets said of Christ, nor would they themselves believe in Christ, Who was born amongst them. Mystically, again, Christ is despised in His own house and country, that is, amongst the Jewish people, and therefore He worked few miracles there, lest they should become altogether inexcusable. But He performs greater miracles every day amongst the Gentiles, not so much in the healing of their bodies, as in the salvation of their souls.
St. Bede the Venerable, Catena Aurea
THIS WEEK’S FEASTS
Mon 9 St. Augustine Zhao Rong and his Companions, Martyrs
Wed 11 St. Benedict, Abbot
Fri 13 St. Henry
Sat 14 St. Camillus of Lellis, Priest Also, Memorial of the BVM
Psalter week II
15th Sunday OT:
1st: Amos 7:12-15
Ps: 84:9-14
2nd: Ephesians 1:3-14
Gospel: Mark 6:7-13
St. Henry II, King of Germany
Henry was born in Bavaria in 972, the son of King Henry the Quarrelsome. He became king in 1002 and was made Holy Roman Emperor in 1014 by Pope Benedict VIII. A practical, energetic and somewhat controversial man, Henry was the winner of many battles, he was a ruler who understood the importance of spreading and defending Christianity, so he fostered the reform of the clergy, promoted monastic life and worked for peace, goals which kept him travelling constantly despite his poor health. Although historians often portray Henry as a power-thirsty ruler who used the Church for his own advantage, the truth is that he was a man of deep faith who had even considered becoming a priest as a youth and was genuinely concerned with the temporal and spiritual welfare of his people, in fact, his pious personality has been the source of many stories about his spiritual life, some rather legendary and others more substantiated, for example, it is said that he and his wife, Queen Cunigunde, had made a perpetual vow of chastity and that is why they had no children. During the last years of his reign Henry had worked with Pope Benedict to have a council at Pavia regarding the system of ecclesial-political order in Germany, but he died in July 1024 before this could be accomplished. Henry was canonized in 1146.
St. Henry II, pray for us
GREETINGS from our Parish Priest- As the IVE priests finish their Provincial Chapter and Priest Gathering in Egypt, Fr. Carlos begins the second part of his journey now on a Mission Appeal to the USA where he will be preaching in several states about the work we do in our Province which includes countries such as Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Tunisia, Tanzania and of course, Cyprus. We keep praying for Fr. Carlos and for the missionaries of the Incarnate Word.
JOIN St. Paul’s 100 CLUB: Members have a chance to win a €50 prize 3 times a year; it costs €2 a week which can be paid at any moment. This also helps 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