Collect, Readings and Prayers for the 2nd Sunday after Trinity
Collect
Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Readings
Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7.
A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures[c] of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9 They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ 10 Then 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. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ 13 The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” 14 Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ 15 But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’
The Birth of Isaac
21 The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.’ 7 And 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.’
or
Exodus 19:2-8a
2 The Israelites had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3 Then 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: 4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now 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, 6 but 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. 8 The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the Lord has spoken we will do.’
Romans 5:1-8
Results of Justification
5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access[b] to this grace in which we stand; and we[c] boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we[d] also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the Mtthew ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
Matthew 9:35–10.33
The Harvest Is Great, the Labourers Few
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. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’
The Twelve Apostles
10 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
The Mission of the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.
Coming Persecutions
16 ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19 When 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; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When 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.
Prayers
We come before God to pray for ourselves and our world, knowing that the Lord sees our hearts and knows our needs. We therefore bring our prayers to him with confidence in our Heavenly Father.
- Heavenly Father, we praise you for your unfailing love and for the great banquet of grace you have prepared for us. We thank you for seeking out the lost, the broken, and the weary, and for inviting us to feast at your table. We worship you, Lord, for your boundless mercy and unending patience. Amen.
- Keep us, O God, from all pettiness. Let us be large in thought, in word, in deed. Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off all self-seeking. May we put away all pretence and meet each other face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice. May we never be hasty in judgement, and always be generous. Let us always take time for all things, and make us grow calm, serene and gentle. Teach us to put into action our better impulses, to be straightforward and unafraid. Grant that we may realise that it is the little things of life that create differences, that in the big things of life we are as one. And, O Lord God, let us not forget to be kind!
Queen Mary Stuart of Scotland (1542-1587)
- Lord, we remember all who bear the responsibility of leadership, for heads of state, ambassadors and political advisers, let your will for our troubled world be accomplished through the decisions they make and give them a vision of peace and reconciliation. We pray in particular for an end to the hostilities in Iran and Lebanon and for peace negotiations to be successful and lasting.
Lord we pray that you will create in us a love for peace, not peace that is absent from struggle, nor peace that is blind to injustice but peace that makes whole what now is broken.
We remember those who struggle against injustice, for men and women who have to establish loves supremacy in violent and oppressive societies, and for those whom war and famine have robbed of homes, families and friends, may they be filled with your strength and wisdom and grant that where the love of man has failed your divine compassion may heal. Amen
- A Prayer for Refugee Week 2026
Loving and Merciful God,
We come to you during Refugee Week 2026, holding in our hearts the millions of people who have been forced to leave their homes due to war, violence, and persecution.
Lord, we pray for the courage of those on the move. Grant them the strength to face unknown journeys, the resilience to navigate unfamiliar systems, and the perseverance to rebuild their lives in safety. Protect the vulnerable, especially the children who make up nearly half of the world's refugees.
Open our own eyes, ears, and hearts. Give us the grace and courage to show true hospitality. Help us to challenge fear and division in our communities, and inspire us to welcome the stranger with compassion and equity. Amen
- Eternal God, Light of the nations, in Christ you make all things new: guide our nation in the coming days through the inspiration of your Spirit, that understanding may put an end to discord and bitterness. Give us grace to rebuild bonds of trust that together we may work for the dignity and flourishing of all people through Jesus Christ our Lord. We pray for political leaders and activists and for all those who are working to shape our society. Let them be guided by the example of Jesus putting understanding and compassion ahead of self interest and material gain and working for a better world. Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
- Heavenly Father, Prince of Peace,
We bring before You the cities of Belfast and Southampton in this time of fear, tension, and unrest. We pray for Your mercy to cover these communities
For the injured: We pray for quick healing and recovery for those harmed in recent violence. Comfort their families, and grant them strength during this traumatic time.
For the vulnerable: We pray for the safety of minority families and asylum seekers who are fearful for their homes and lives. Protect them from intimidation, hostility, and danger.
For leaders and law enforcement: Give the police and emergency responders, wisdom, patience, and courage as they work to keep the peace and protect the public.
For us all: May we all learn to express our views, our fears and concerns in appropriate arenas and in a calm and rational way, be prepared to listen to other points of view and always to act with love and kindness towards others even if we disagree with them. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
- Lord, we lift before you those who are in need of your comfort and healing. We pray for the elderly, the housebound, and those living in care homes or hospices. We bring before you victims of violence, cruelty, and injustice. We remember those who are facing grief,and ask that you would bring peace to all who mourn.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on your church, that we may be bold to share your love and extend your welcome and your comfort to all we meet. Amen.
- Prayer for Following Christ’s Call
Lord Jesus, you call your people to follow you and to share your Good News. Support all whom you are calling today—to build your church across the world, to proclaim your truth, and to establish your kingdom of love. Give us the courage to answer your call, and the grace to endure in faith to the end. Amen
- Gracious God we pray for our children and young people who are nearing the end of another academic year. Be with those who are in the midst of or finishing important examinations at school and university and those starting new lives in the world of work. Help us, through our Christian life to create a society where both young and old, gifted and less able feel valued and proud to be a part of society.
Father God we pray for the young people in our families and communities. May they grow up knowing love and hope, valuing life and respecting others. Give them courage and resilience as they face changes in their lives and help them to see opportunities in all the challenges that stretch out before them. We pray that their elders will remember the vitality and enthusiasm of youth and put away cynicism and inertia as they support those less experienced than they. Amen
- Father God,
we feel loved,
we feel forgiven,
we feel saved.
Thank you for Jesus Christ your Son
who died for us on the cross
and rose again from the dead
and who offers us true peace
and true hope.
Help us to hold on to him
and to follow him
the way, the truth and the life
as we entrust you our prayers
in the name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen