Sunday between 12 and 18 June
(if after Trinity Sunday)
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
First Reading - Exodus 19.1-6
A reading from the book of Exodus.
Exactly two months
after escaping from slavery in Egypt,
the Israelites arrived
at Mount Sinai.
And they set up camp there,
at the foot
of the mountain.
Moses went up the mountain
to meet with God.
And there, the Lord
gave Moses
this message
for the people.
‘You have seen what I did
to those who had
enslaved you,
and how I carried you
on eagles’ wings,
to bring you
to myself.
So now, I say,
if you will hear my voice,
and keep my covenant,
you will be my treasured possession
out of all the nations.
The whole world is mine -
but you will be, for me,
a kingdom of priests,
and a holy nation.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - Romans 3.21-24
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
The Hebrew law,
and the Hebrew prophets,
speak of the righteousness
that comes from God.
But this righteousness
has now been made known
even to those
outside
the Hebrew law.
The righteousness
that comes from God
is now given, through faith in Jesus Christ,
to all who believe.
There is no longer any distinction,
for all have sinned,
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
And all are now set free from sin,
and reconciled with God,
freely,
by God’s grace,
through Jesus Christ.
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - Matthew 9.35 - 10.8
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Matthew.
Jesus went through all
the towns and villages,
curing every disease and sickness,
teaching in the synagogues,
and proclaiming
the good news of the kingdom.
Whenever Jesus saw the crowds,
he had compassion on them,
because they were weary, and lost,
like sheep
without a shepherd.
Jesus said to his disciples,
‘The harvest is plentiful,
but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord
to send more workers
for the harvest.’
Then, summoning the twelve,
Jesus gave them
authority
to drive out
unclean spirits,
and to cure
every disease
and every sickness.
The twelve he appointed as apostles
were:
Simon Peter,
and his brother Andrew;
James and John
(the sons of Zebedee);
Philip,
and Bartholomew;
Thomas,
and Matthew (the tax-collector);
James (the son of Alpheus)
and Thaddeus;
Simon (the Zealot);
and Judas Iscariot (the one who betrayed him).
These twelve, Jesus sent out,
with these instructions:
‘I am sending you
not to any foreign nation,
not even to Samaria,
but to our own people,
the descendants of Jacob,
in Galilee, and Judea,
for they have become
like lost sheep.
As you go, proclaim the good news
that the kingdom of heaven
has come.
Heal the sick,
cleanse those with leprosy,
raise the dead,
and drive out demons.
Freely you have received.
Now freely give.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.