First Sunday Of Lent

St Paul's Catholic Parish
Feb 21
5 min read

22 February 2026

Collect Prayer

Grant, almighty God, through the yearly observances of holy Lent, that we may grow in understanding of the riches hidden in Christ and by worthy conduct pursue their effects. Through our Lord Jesus Christ…

Readings

Genesis 2:7-9 ; 3:1-7 Psalm 51 Romans 5:12-19

Matthew 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the Temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Readings Next Sunday (2nd Sunday of Lent)

Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 33 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 Matthew 17:1-9

Saints of the week

Mon 23 | St. Polycarp, bishop and martyr.

Thu 26 | St. Porphyry, bishop

Jesus came to deliver mankind from sin and from Satan's influence

St. John Paul II, General Audience (excerpt), 25 August 1999.

The New Testament strongly emphasizes Jesus’ authority over demons, which he cast out “by the finger of God” (Lk 11:20). In the Gospel perspective, the deliverance of those possessed by demons (cf. Mk 5:1–20) acquires a broader meaning than mere physical healing, in that the physical ailment is seen in relation to an interior one.

The disease from which Jesus sets people free is primarily that of sin. Jesus himself explains this when he heals the paralytic: “That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home” (Mk 2:10–11).

Even before working cures, Jesus had already conquered sin by overcoming the “temptations” which the devil presented to him during the time he spent in the wilderness after being baptized by John (cf. Mk 1:12–13; Mt 4:1–11; Lk 4:1–13).

To fight the sin that lurks in us and around us, we must follow in Jesus’ footsteps and learn the sense of his constant “yes” to the Father’s plan of love. This “yes” demands our total commitment, but we would not be able to say it without the help of that grace which Jesus himself obtained for us by his work of redemption.

St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna

He was a disciple of St. John the Apostle. He exhorted the Philippians to practice fraternal love and to refute heresy. After meeting the apostate Marcion in Rome, St. Polycarp linked heresy to Satan.

In 167 A.D., a persecution erupted in Smyrna. When Bishop Polycarp heard his pursuers at the door, he resigned himself to the will of God. When offered freedom in exchange for cursing Jesus, he replied: “Eighty-six years I have served Him and He never did me wrong. How can I blaspheme my Savior?”

When threatened with fire, Bishop Polycarp told the proconsul, “Your fire lasts only a little, but the fire prepared for the wicked lasts forever.” During his immolation, he was unharmed by the fire. He was then stabbed in the heart and his body burned.

His biographers wrote, “We took up the bones, more precious than the richest jewels or gold, and deposited them in a fitting place, at which may God grant us to assemble with joy to celebrate the birthday of the martyr to his life in Heaven!”

(Source: dailygospel.org)

Weekly News

Diocesan Pilgrimage: In the Footsteps of Saint Paul

13–18 April 2026.

Limited places. More information on the notice board.

Registration forms available from Fr. Ismael or Fr. Alessandro.

Fridays of Lent

Mass will be at 11.30am followed by the Stations of the Cross in AK.

Lenten Alms

We will support the Home for Disable Children “Niño Dios” in Bethlehem.

Children's Group

The children of our parish are invited to join the Children’s Group every Sunday at 11.30am at the Shop. The Gospel of the Sunday will be explained to them so that they can follow the Mass in a more fruitful way.

Age: 3–10 (children younger than 5 must be accompanied by one of their parents).

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.

Pray For Vocations

The Latin Vicariate of Cyprus is dedicating a Year of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood, religious, married or consecrated lives. Join us! For more information contact Sister Elizabeth (95983631 / pastoralcareofvocationscyprus@gmail.com)

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.

Lenten Mass schedule

23 February- 1 March

Mon: No Mass;

Tue, Thu, Masses at 9:00am in Agia Kyriaki

Wed: H. Mass in Agia Kyriaki at 12:00 noon, Additional mass at Agia Kyriaki at 6:00pm, H. Mass in Polis 6.15pm

Fri: Mass at 11:30am followed by Stations of The Cross

Saturday: Masses at 4:30pm (AK); 6:15pm (town of Polis)

Sunday: Masses at 10am, 11am & 12pm (AK)

Eucharistic Adoration: Wed at 10:50am in AK; Thu at 6pm in AK

Holy Rosary: Sat at 4pm in AK

Filipino Mass on last Sunday of the month at 12pm.

Sri-Lankan Mass on 3rd Sunday of the month, 12pm (Presbitery chapel)

Prayer for Vocations to Consecrated Life

Oh God, who call those you wish to follow your Son, Jesus Christ, in His very way of life and mission, send your Spirit to strengthen those you have consecrated to yourself: nuns, monks, religious men and women, hermits, consecrated virgins, consecrated widows and widowers, members of Societies of Apostolic Life.

We thank you for the precious gift of their lives and their testimony. Grant them faithfulness in their vows, courage to live their vocation with passion. Help them bring the light of your gospel to all, reflect your love, and be clear sign of your Kingdom through their lives and mission.

Send your Holy Spirit to those you call to consecrate their lives to you and those who are discerning this path, so that they may hear your voice clearly and respond with trust and generosity.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.