O God,
the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.or
God of truth,
help us to keep your law of love
and to walk in ways of wisdom,
that we may find true life
in Jesus Christ your Son.ReadingsContinuous:Genesis 18.1-15 [21.1-7]
9 They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’10Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ 13The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” 14Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ 15But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’[
21The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.’7And she said, ‘Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’]This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 116.1, 10-17
1 I love the Lord,
for he has heard the voice of my supplication; •︎
because he inclined his ear to me
on the day I called to him.
10 How shall I repay the Lord •︎
for all the benefits he has given to me?
11 I will lift up the cup of salvation •︎
and call upon the name of the Lord.
12 I will fulfil my vows to the Lord •︎
in the presence of all his people.
13 Precious in the sight of the Lord •︎
is the death of his faithful servants.
14 O Lord, I am your servant, •︎
your servant, the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
15 I will offer to you a sacrifice of thanksgiving •︎
and call upon the name of the Lord.
16 I will fulfil my vows to the Lord •︎
in the presence of all his people,
17 In the courts of the house of the Lord, •︎
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Alleluia.
[or Psalm 116.9-17]
9 I believed that I should perish
for I was sorely troubled; •︎
and I said in my alarm,
‘Everyone is a liar.’
10 How shall I repay the Lord •︎
for all the benefits he has given to me?
11 I will lift up the cup of salvation •︎
and call upon the name of the Lord.
12 I will fulfil my vows to the Lord •︎
in the presence of all his people.
13 Precious in the sight of the Lord •︎
is the death of his faithful servants.
14 O Lord, I am your servant, •︎
your servant, the child of your handmaid;
you have freed me from my bonds.
15 I will offer to you a sacrifice of thanksgiving •︎
and call upon the name of the Lord.
16 I will fulfil my vows to the Lord •︎
in the presence of all his people,
17 In the courts of the house of the Lord, •︎
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Alleluia.
Romans 5.1-8
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Related:Exodus 19.2-8a
2They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: 4You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, 6but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.’
7 So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. 8The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Psalm 100
1 O be joyful in the Lord, all the earth; •
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
2 Know that the Lord is God; •
it is he that has made us and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise; •
give thanks to him and bless his name.
4 For the Lord is gracious; his steadfast love is everlasting, •
and his faithfulness endures from generation to generation.
Romans 5.1-8
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.This is the word of the Lord.AllThanks be to God.Gospel ReadingHear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.AllGlory to you, O Lord.Matthew 9.35-10.8 [9-23]
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 8Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.[9Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. 11Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12As you enter the house, greet it. 13If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.
16 ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles.19When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time;20for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.]This is the Gospel of the Lord.AllPraise to you, O Christ.Post Communion
Eternal Father,
we thank you for nourishing us
with these heavenly gifts:
may our communion strengthen us in faith,
build us up in hope,
and make us grow in love;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.