St. Paul's Catholic Church - Mankessim

01/09/2024

Gospel of the Day (Mark 7,1-8.14-15.21-23)

When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me;
In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.'
You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He summoned the crowd again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile."
From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile."

31/08/2024

31/08/2024

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 25,14-30)

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately
the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.
After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'
(Then) the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

25/08/2024

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

1st Reading
Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21

Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

2nd Reading
Eph 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32

Gospel
Jn 6:60-69

24/08/2024

Gospel of the day
🙏🙏🙏🙏

16/07/2024

Gospel of the Day - Saint Matthew 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of His mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

“And as for you, Capernaum: ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in S***m, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of S***m on the day of judgment than for you.”

14/07/2024

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1st Reading
Am 7:12-15

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

2nd Reading
Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10

Gospel
Mk 6:7-13

13/07/2024

It's today 🙏
Welcome Archbishop Charles Gabriel Palmer- Buckle

04/07/2024

Gospel of the Day - St Matthew 9:1-8

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into His own town. And there people brought to Him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."

At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?

"But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" – He then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."

He rose and went home.

When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings.

03/07/2024

Gospel of the Day - Saint John 20:24-29

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Now a week later His disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."

Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see My hands, and bring your hand and put it into My side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

03/07/2024

JULY 3 | FEAST OF ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE

St. Thomas was born a Jew and was called to be one of the twelve Apostles. His birth and death dates are unknown, but his feast day is celebrated July 3. He lived before the formal establishment of the Catholic Church but is recognized as the patron saint of architects.

He was a dedicated but impetuous follower of Christ. When Jesus said He was returning to Judea to visit His sick friend Lazarus, Thomas immediately exhorted the other Apostles to accompany Him on the trip which involved certain danger and possible death because of the mounting hostility of the authorities.

At the Last Supper, when Christ told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them to which they also might come because they knew both the place and the way, Thomas pleaded that they did not understand and received the beautiful assurance that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

St. Thomas is best known for his role in verifying the Resurrection of his Master. Thomas' unwillingness to believe that the other Apostles had seen their risen Lord on the first Easter Sunday earned him the title of "doubting Thomas."

Eight days later, on Christ's second apparition, Thomas was gently rebuked for his skepticism and furnished with the evidence he had demanded - seeing in Christ's hands the point of the nails. Thomas even put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand into Christ's side. After verifying the wounds were true, St. Thomas became convinced of the reality of the Resurrection and exclaimed, "My Lord and My God," thus making a public Profession of Faith in the Divinity of Jesus.

St. Thomas is also mentioned as being present at another Resurrection appearance of Jesus - at Lake Tiberias, when a miraculous catch of fish occurred.

This is all that we know about St. Thomas from the New Testament. Tradition says that at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost this saint was sent to evangelize to the Parthians, Medes, and Persian