Sunday between 24 and 30 July    

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

First Reading - 2 Kings 4.42-44

A reading from the second book of Kings. There was a famine throughout the land. But in one village, in the mountains, some barley ripened. The farmer made twenty bread rolls from the first of the crop, and took them to Elisha, as an offering of the first-fruits, as required by the law. When he presented them to Elisha, Elisha said to his servant, ‘Give them to the people, so that they may eat.’ But Elisha’s servant said, ‘How can I serve twenty bread rolls to a hundred people?’ Elisha said again, ‘Give them to the people, so that they may eat, for the Lord says they shall eat, and have bread to spare. So Elisha’s servant gave the twenty bread rolls to the people, and they ate, and had bread to spare, as the Lord had made known to Elisha. This is the word of the Lord.

Second Reading - Ephesians 3.14-21

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians. I pray to God, the Father of all, that your inner strength will be renewed, through the Holy Spirit, and by the riches of God’s glory. I pray that Christ will dwell in your hearts. And I pray that you will have deep roots of faith and love. Indeed, I pray that you, and all the saints, will come to know the full breadth, and length, and height, and depth, of the love of Christ, that is beyond our understanding. For by working powerfully within us, God is able to accomplish far more than we can ever ask, or even imagine. To God be the glory, in the church, and in Christ Jesus, through all generations, for ever. Amen. This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel - John 6.1-21

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Jesus crossed to the far side of the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the miraculous signs that he was doing, healing the sick. Jesus went up on to the hillside, and sat down there, with his disciples. It was just before the Hebrew festival of the Passover. When Jesus looked up, and saw the large crowd, coming towards him, he said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, for all these people to eat?’ Jesus said this to test Philip, for Jesus himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered Jesus, ‘Six months wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to have even a small piece.’ But Andrew (the brother of Simon Peter) said to Jesus, ‘There is a boy here with five barley-loaves, and two fish; although that is nothing, amongst so many.’ Jesus said, ‘Tell the people to sit down.’ There was grass there, and the people sat down; about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the five barley-loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; and in the same way, the fish, as much as they wanted. When they had all had enough to eat, Jesus told his disciples to gather up the pieces left over, so that nothing would be wasted. And gathering up the pieces, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that Jesus had done, they began to say, ‘This is surely the prophet, who was to come into the world.’ When Jesus realised that they were about to take him by force to make him their king, he withdrew again, to the mountain, by himself. When evening came, and it was becoming dark, Jesus had still not returned. The disciples went down to the lake, got into a boat, and set out to cross the lake, in the dark. The lake became rough, with a strong wind blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus, walking on the lake, towards the boat, and they were overcome with fear. But Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid.’ And as soon as they received him into the boat, they found that they had safely reached the shore. This is the Gospel of the Lord.