17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 Kings 4:42-44 (JB)

A reading from the second book of the Kings

They will eat and have some left over.

A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing Elisha, the man of God, bread from the first-fruits, twenty barley loaves and fresh grain in the ear. ‘Give it to the people to eat,’ Elisha said. But his servant replied, ‘How can I serve this to a hundred men?’ ‘Give it to the people to eat’ he insisted for the Lord says this, “They will eat and have some over.”‘ He served them; they ate and had some over, as the Lord had said.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Kings 4:42-44 (NRSV)

A reading from the second book of Kings

A man came bringing food from the first fruits

to Elisha, the man of God:

twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack.

Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.”

But his servant said,

“How can I set this before a hundred people?”

So Elisha repeated,

“Give it to the people and let them eat,

for thus says the Lord,

“They shall eat and have some left.”

The servant set it before them,

they ate, and had some left,

according to the word of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 144:10-11, 15-18 (JB)

R. The hand of the Lord feeds us;

he answers all our needs.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,

and your friends shall repeat their blessing.

They shall speak of the glory of your reign

and declare your might, O God. R.

The eyes of all creatures look to you

and you give them their food in due time.

You open wide your hand,

grant the desires of all who live. R.

The Lord is just in all his ways

and loving in all his deeds.

He is close to all who call him,

who call on him from their hearts. R.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians

There is one body, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, through all and within all.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians

I, the prisoner in the lord,

beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling

to which you have been called,

with all humility and gentleness,

with patience, hearing with one another in love,

making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit

in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit,

just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all,

who is above all and through all and in all.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Luke 7:16 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

Luke 7:16 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.

Alleluia!

John 6:1-15 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

He distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.

Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee – or of Tiberias – and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.

Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ‘Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?’ He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to the disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted.’ So they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of five barley loaves. The people, seeing this sign that he had given, said, ‘This really is the prophet who is to come into the world.’ Jesus, who could see they were about to come and take him by force and make him king, escaped back to the hills by himself.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

John 6:1-15 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to John

Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee,

also called the Sea of Tiberias.

A large crowd kept following him,

because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.

Jesus went up the mountain

and sat down there with his disciples.

Now the Passover festival was near.

When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him,

Jesus said to Philip,

“Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?”

He said this to test him,

for he himself knew what he was going to do.

Philip answered him,

“Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread

for each of them to get a little.”

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,

said to Jesus,

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.

But what are they among so many people?”

Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.”

Now there was a great deal of grass in the place;

so they sat down, about five thousand in all.

Then Jesus took the loaves,

and when he had given thanks,

he distributed them to those who were seated;

so also the fish, as much as they wanted.

When they were satisfied, he told his disciples,

“Gather up the fragments left over,

so that nothing may be lost.”

So they gathered them up,

and from the fragments of the five barley loaves,

left by those who had eaten,

they filled twelve baskets.

When the people saw the sign that he had done,

they began to say,

“This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”

When Jesus realized that they were about to come

and take him by force to make him king,

he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.