Readings for the First Sunday after Trinity – 7th June 2026

Collect for the First Sunday after Trinity

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 to 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.

Amen

A reading from the book of the prophet Hosea, chapter 5, verse 15 to

chapter 6, verse 6

I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face.

In their distress they will beg my favour: “Come, let us return to the Lord, for it is

he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up.

After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may

live before him. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as

sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that

water the earth.”

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your

love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. Therefore, I have

hewn them by the prophets; I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and

my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans, chapter 4, verses 13 to 25

The promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his

descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the

adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression.

For this reason the promise depends on faith, in order that it may rest on grace, so

that it may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the

law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (who is the father of all of

us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”), in the presence

of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into

existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he

would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So shall

your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own

body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old),

and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the

promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully

convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore “it was

reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,”

were written not for his sake alone but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who

believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over for

our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

A reading from the gospel according to Matthew, chapter 9, verses 9 to 13

and 18 to 26

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax

booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. And as

he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting

with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his

disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when

he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but

those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’

For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt

before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on

her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples.

Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve

years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was saying

to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing

her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the

woman was made well from that moment. When Jesus came to the leader’s

house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go

away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when

the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl

got up. And the report of this spread through all of that district.

Second Collect

Eternal Father, we thank you for nourishing us with these

heavenly gifts; may our communion strengthen us in faith and build us up in hope,

and make us grow in love; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen