Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Isaiah 55:1-5
Officiant: The Word of the Lord. The People: Thanks be to God.
Psalm
Psalm
145
*At the end of the Psalms this is sung or said Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
New Testament
Romans 9:1-5
Officiant: The Word of the Lord. The People: Thanks be to God.
Gospel
Matthew 14:13-21
Deacon:The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you. Or And with your spirit
Deacon: May the Lord be on our minds, on our lips, and on our hearts as we hear His Holy Gospel. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
People: Glory to You, Lord Christ.
Deacon: We are reading from Matthew's Gospel chapter 14, beginning at verse 13.
13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, 'This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.' 16 But Jesus said to them, 'They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.' 17 And they said to Him, 'We have here only five loaves and two fish.' 18 He said, 'Bring them here to Me.' 19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. 20 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. 21 Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
After the Gospel reading, the deacon can elevate the book and says:
Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayers of the People
Brothers and sisters, God the Father has called us into His presence through Jesus His Son, by the power of His Holy Spirit. Therefore, let us pray to our Father for ourselves and for the whole world.
That Church leaders will preach and teach the Truth of the Gospel with courage and conviction.
Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
That national leaders will work tirelessly for peace among all nations.
Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
That we, like St. Paul, will have great sorrow and anguish for those who are rejecting Christ.
Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
That all who have played a part in abortion will repent and find the forgiveness and peace of God, demonstrated to us in Jesus.
Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
That the Jewish people will recognize that Jesus is the Messiah spoken of by Moses.
Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
That our schools, colleges and universities will be places where wisdom is pursued and where Jesus is the source of all truth.
Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Lord in Your mercy that we will have the Lord's compassion toward the sick, the oppressed, the lonely and the poor.
Lord in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Father, You are the provider of every good gift. Hear our prayer and give us the grace to trust You for all our needs. We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN