Sunday between 31 July and 6 August
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
First Reading - Isaiah 55.1-3
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Come, all who are thirsty;
come to the water and drink.
Come, all who are in poverty;
come for grain, and milk, and wine,
without money,
and without cost.
For you work,
and you spend,
but you find
neither food
nor fulfilment.
So listen now
to the word of the Lord,
and you will eat,
and be filled,
and your soul
will delight
in abundance.
Come to me,
and hear my word.
Hear my word,
that you may live,
says the Lord.
And the Lord
will make with you
an everlasting covenant.
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - Romans 8.28-30
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
God’s purpose,
from the beginning,
was that many
would become like Christ,
the Son of God,
so that Christ
would be the firstborn
of many
brothers and sisters.
And now, by God’s grace,
we have indeed
been called,
and reconciled with God.
We have even
entered into
the glory of God.
And so we see
that
in accordance
with God’s
plan
and purpose,
all things
work together
for good
for those who love God.
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - Matthew 14.13-21
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Matthew.
On hearing
that John the Baptist
had been killed
by King Herod,
Jesus
withdrew
by boat
to a wilderness place,
alone.
But news of it
spread,
and the crowds
followed him
on foot
from the towns,
so that when Jesus went ashore,
a great crowd
had already gathered.
Jesus had compassion on them,
and healed the sick amongst them.
As evening came,
the disciples
said to Jesus
that he should send the crowds away
from this desolate place,
into the villages,
to buy food.
But Jesus said to the disciples,
‘The people can stay,
if you give them something to eat.’
The disciples replied,
‘We have nothing here
but five loaves,
and two fish.’
Jesus said, ‘Bring them to me.’
Then Jesus ordered the crowds
to sit down on the grass.
He took
the five loaves, and the two fish.
And looking up to heaven,
he blessed them,
and broke them into pieces.
And he gave the pieces
to the disciples.
And the disciples
gave the pieces
to the crowds.
And everyone ate,
and was filled.
And the disciples collected up
what was left over
of the broken pieces,
filling twelve baskets.
Those who ate
were about five thousand men,
in addition
to the women
and the children.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.