FIRST
READING: Isaiah
55: 1 - 3
1
Come here, all you who are thirsty, come to the water! All who have
no money, come! Yes, without money and at no cost, buy and drink wine
and milk.
2
Why spend money on what is not food and labor for what does not
satisfy? Listen to me, and you will eat well; you will enjoy the
richest of fare.
3
Incline your ear and come to me; listen, that your soul may live. I
will make with you an everlasting covenant, I will fulfill in you my
promises to David.
PSALM:
Psalms 145:
8 - 9, 15 - 18
8
Compassionate and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger and abounding
in love.
9
The Lord is good to everyone; his mercy embraces all his creation.
15
All creatures look to you to be fed in due season;
16
with open hand you satisfy the living according to their needs.
17
Righteous is the Lord in all his ways, his mercy shows in all his
deeds.
18
He is near those who call on him, who call trustfully upon his name.
SECOND
READING: Romans
8: 35, 37 - 39
35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will it be trials, or
anguish, persecution or hunger, lack of clothing, or dangers or
sword?
37
No, in all of this we are more than conquerors, thanks to him who has
loved us.
38
I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
spiritual powers, neither the present nor the future, nor cosmic
powers,
39
were they from heaven or from the deep world below, nor any creature
whatsoever will separate us from the love of God, which we have in
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
GOSPEL:
Matthew 14:
13 - 21
13
On hearing this, Jesus set out secretly by boat for a secluded place.
But the people heard of it, and they followed him on foot from their
towns.
14
When Jesus went ashore, he saw the crowd gathered there and he had
compassion on them. And he healed their sick.
15
Late in the afternoon, his disciples came to him and said, "We
are in a lonely place and it is now late. You should send these
people away, so they can go to the villages and buy something for
themselves to eat."
16
But Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away; you give them
something to eat."
17
They answered, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two
fishes."
18
Jesus said to them, "Bring them here to me."
19
Then he made everyone sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves
and the two fishes, raised his eyes to heaven, pronounced the
blessing, broke the loaves and handed them to the disciples to
distribute to the people.
20
And they all ate, and everyone had enough; then the disciples
gathered up the leftovers, filling twelve baskets.
21
About five thousand men had eaten there besides women and children.
