Collect, Readings & Prayers for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

Collect

O God, you declare your almighty power

most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:

mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,

that we, running the way of your commandments,

may receive your gracious promises,

and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;

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.

Readings

Genesis 45:1-15

Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers

45 Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Send everyone away from me.’ So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. ³ Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. ⁷ God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹ Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰ You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.” ¹² And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. ¹³ You must tell my father how greatly I am honoured in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.’ ¹⁴ Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. ¹⁵ And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

OR

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

The Covenant Extended to All Who Obey

56 Thus says the Lord:
    Maintain justice, and do what is right,
for soon my salvation will come,
    and my deliverance be revealed.

And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
    to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,
    and hold fast my covenant—
⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain,
    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
    for all peoples.
⁸ Thus says the Lord God,
    who gathers the outcasts of Israel,
I will gather others to them
    besides those already gathered.

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

Israel’s Rejection Is Not Final

11 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. ³² For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

Matthew 15:10-20, 21-28

Things That Defile

¹⁰ Then Jesus called the crowd to him and said to them, ‘Listen and understand: ¹¹ it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.’ ¹² Then the disciples approached and said to him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees took offence when they heard what you said?’ ¹³ He answered, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.’ ¹⁵ But Peter said to him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ ¹⁶ Then he said, ‘Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? ¹⁸ But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.’

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith

²¹ Jesus went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ ²³ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ ²⁴ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ ²⁶ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ ²⁷ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

Prayers

Loving God we recognise our responsibility to encourage and uphold one another and to live together in peace and love. We also recognise our needs and our human weaknesses and come to you now with our prayers and petitions.

• Holy God, we pray for your church and ask that it might always provide a solid foundation upon which we can anchor our lives.   We especially pray for Christians who pay a heavy price for their faith; who daily experience hostility, and in some countries active persecution, from their governments, employers, and neighbours, as a result of their identification with Christ.

At home, we pray for the Church of England that it may be a beacon of light and hope and practical help in our country where so many struggle with financial problems, health problems and personal problems and that it may be a facilitator of reconciliation when polarisation of views and attitudes is reflected in hostile and sometimes aggressive confrontation.  Amen

• God of love,
  As we see and hear the news of the devastating violence occurring in the Middles East, in Ukraine, in Sudan, but also in many other parts of the world, we hold your broken world before you in prayer,
  We pray for lives lost, for people who mourn, and for those living in fear. We long for peace and pray that those who wage war might exchange weapons for words.
  Help us to know how to pray, how to speak and how to act,
  that we might remember our call to follow the Prince of Peace,
  In whose name we pray, Amen.

• God, who changes not, we trust in you for our todays and tomorrows. We pray for those with responsibility for making key decisions that might change the direction of world or local events. We pray for our Prime Minister and the Ministers of State, for your wisdom and courage for them in the difficult choices which they have to make We pray for those affected by the decisions of others, but who feel powerless in the face of forces of change.  May their voices be heard and may they receive the support they need when change is inevitable and they have to adapt. Amen

• God, as many people take time out this summer from their busy lives, keep them safe Lord. We pray that they may enjoy times of refreshment and peace and grant that they may so use their leisure to rebuild their bodies and renew their minds. May their spirits be opened to the goodness of your creation and to the joy of relaxing with friends and family. Amen 

• In the wake of the awesome solar eclipse, we pray that many who watched the heavens as the event unfolded may be filled with wonder this week at the majesty of the universe and the marvel of the works of creation and be drawn closer to the God who made the stars and set them all in perfect motion. Amen

• Loving God, we thank you for all our amazing young people who are awaiting or have just received their exam results, at whatever stage they are at. Lord, we pray your blessing upon them as they move on to the next part of their education or seek paid employment.

Lord we also pray for those who may not quite get the results that they desire. Comfort those who are disappointed and may they know their grades do not define them, only your love does. May they receive wise advice as they seek to plan their futures in the light of the results they have received.

Reveal yourself to our young people Lord, that they may know you as their Friend and Guide as they take their next steps in life. Amen

• In the light particularly of the extreme heat of this summer, the risks to the vulnerable and the dangers of wildfires, we pray for the members of the emergency services.  Lord God, we thank you for the selfless men and women who serve in the police, fire, and ambulance services and who run toward danger to save lives. Protect them in their duty, grant them wisdom in crisis, and comfort their families who wait at home.  We pray for the doctors and nurses, coping with the additional pressure on medical services caused by the heat, that you will be with them, grant them good health themselves and patience and wisdom as they deal with emergencies and as they treat all their patients. Amen

• Loving God, we hold the people of Colombia before you today. We pray for those who are grieving, for those who have been injured, and for those whose homes, livelihoods and communities have been affected by the earthquake.                                                                                       We give thanks for the courage, compassion and resilience being shown by neighbours, community leaders, emergency responders and churches as they care for one another. Strengthen all those who are responding to this crisis. Help us in Britian to join with them in prayer and friendship and to support them in their need. Amen

• Gracious God, we lift our hearts to You during this time of intense heat. We pray for protection and relief for all who are vulnerable, especially the elderly, the sick, outdoor workers, and those without adequate shelter or cooling. Grant them safety, strength, and cool rest and remind us all to check in on our vulnerable neighbours and care for them.  Amen

• Almighty God,
  you are the only source of health and healing.
  In you there is calm, and the only true peace in the universe.                                            
• Grant to each one of us your children an awareness of your presence, and give us perfect confidence in you.                    We pray for all who are in pain or suffering from weariness or anxiety and for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. May they trust themselves to your care and know that your love and power surround them. Give them renewed health and strength, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

• Lord, take our minds and think through them; take our lips and speak through them; take our lives and live out your life; take our hearts and set them on fire with love for you; and guide us ever by your Holy Spirit. Amen