20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
- St Paul's Catholic Parish
- Aug 15
- 5 min read
16 August 2026
Collect Prayer
O God, who have prepared for those who love you good things which no eye can see, fill our hearts, we pray, with the warmth of your love, so that, loving you in all things and above all things, we may attain your promises, which surpass every human desire. Through…
Readings
Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7 Psalm 67 Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15: 21-28
At that time: Jesus went away and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying: ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.’
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she is crying out after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’
But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ And he answered, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’
Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.
Readings next Sunday (21st Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Isaiah 22: 15, 19-23 Psalm 138 Romans 11: 33-36 Matthew 16: 13-20
Saints of the Week
Wed 19
Thu 20
Fri 21
St. John Eudes, priest (memorial)
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, doctor of the Church (memorial)
St. Pius X, Pope (memorial)
A Journey of Faith
Cf. Benedict XVI, Angelus 14.08.2011 (Excerpt)
Today’s Gospel begins by indicating the district to which Jesus was going: Tyre and Sidon, to the north-west of Galilee, a pagan land. And it was here that he met a Canaanite woman who spoke to him, asking him to heal her daughter who was possessed by a demon.
In her supplication we can already discern the beginning of a journey of faith, which in her conversation with the divine Teacher grows and becomes stronger.
The woman was not afraid to cry to Jesus “Have mercy on me”, an expression that recurs in the Psalms (cf. 50:1), she calls him “Lord” and “Son of David”, thus showing a firm hope of being heard. What was the Lord’s attitude to this cry of anguish from a pagan woman?
Jesus’ silence may seem disconcerting […], but it was not a question of insensitivity to this woman’s sorrow. St Augustine rightly commented: “Christ showed himself indifferent to her, not in order to refuse her his mercy but rather to inflame her desire for it”.
The apparent aloofness of Jesus who said: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, did not discourage the Canaanite woman who persisted: “Lord, help me”. And she did not even desist when she received an answer that would seem to have extinguished any hope: “it is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs”. She had no wish to take anything from anyone; in her simplicity and humility a little was enough for her, crumbs sufficed, no more than a look, a kind word from the Son of God. And Jesus was struck with admiration for an answer of such great faith and said to her: “Be it done for you as you desire”.
We too are called to grow in faith, to open ourselves in order to welcome God’s gift freely, to have trust and also to cry to Jesus “give us faith, help us to find the way!”. Faith opens us to knowing and welcoming the real identity of Jesus, his newness and oneness, his word, as a source of life, in order to live a personal relationship with him. Knowledge of the faith grows, it grows with the desire to find the way and in the end it is a gift of God who does not reveal himself to us as an abstract thing without a face or a name, because faith responds to a Person who wants to enter into a relationship of deep love with us and to involve our whole life. For this reason our heart must undergo the experience of conversion every day, every day it must see us changing from people withdrawn into themselves to people who are open to God’s action, spiritual people (cf. 1 Cor 2:13-14), who let themselves be called into question by the Lord’s word and open their life to his Love.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153)
from dailygospel.org
St. Bernard was born at the castle of Fontaines in Burgundy. His intellectual brilliance gave his parents high hopes. Nevertheless, they accepted his decision to join the monks of Citeaux. All of his brothers joined except for Nivard, the youngest, who cared for their father. When Nivard left to join the monks, the father followed. Only one sister remained. Two years after speaking with Bernard, she became a religious.
Bernard's holy example attracted so many novices that more monasteries were built. As the abbot of Clairvaux's monastery, he was at first unsparing. However, grace changed him into a mirror of God. The Holy Spirit confirmed his works so much that churches requested for him become their bishop. In order to perfect his work, Bernard declined the bishopric with the help of his former disciple, Pope Eugenius III.
Bernard was constantly sought after by the poor for protection. He served as a consultant to bishops, kings and popes. His writings have earned for him the titles Last of the Church Fathers and Doctor of the Church.
Weekly News
Diocesan Retreat
At Kykkos Monastery. Date: 23-25 October. More information on the board. To register, please, contact one of the priests of the parish
Francophone Spiritual Retreat
Retreat for French-speaking communities of the parishes of Cyprus. We are pleased to invite you to a day of spiritual retreat on Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, at the Saint-Mary School in Limassol. To participate, please, contact Fr. Alessandro
First Communion and Confirmation 2027
The informative encounter for parents will be on Friday 2 October at the Shop. First Communion at 6:30 pm; Confirmation at 7:15 pm
Caritas St. Paul's
Thank you for your prayers, contributions, food and clothes donations … we can also reuse your shopping bags. If you wish to volunteer, please, contact Fr. Alessandro
Parish Community Shop
Refreshments, coffee and tea. Check our religious section for rosaries, Christmas Cards, scapulars, devotionals, etc. Check also our books sections. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet other parishioners and grow as community. All funds will go to the building of the new Church. If you’d like to volunteer, please talk to Fr. Ismael
Dress Code in Church
Please dress modestly.
Mass Schedule
17th - 23rd August
Mon: No Mass
Tue: Mass at 9:00am in Agia Kyriaki
Wed: Mass at 12:00pm in Agia Kyriaki
Thu: Mass at 9:00am in Agia Kyriaki
Fri: Mass at 9:00am in Agia Kyriaki
Saturday: 4:30pm (Agia Kyriaki ); 6:15pm (Town of Polis)
Sunday: Masses in Agia Kyriaki at 10am (Latin), 11am (Polish) & 12pm (English)
Eucharistic Adoration: Wed at 10:50am in AK; Thu at 6pm in AK
Holy Rosary: Sat at 4pm in AK
Filipino Mass: last Sunday of the month at 12pm
Sri-Lankan Mass: 3rd Sunday of the month, 12pm (Presbytery chapel)
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