Sunday 2nd August 2026

ORDINARY 18A

2nd August 2026

A short act of worship and daily devotions

Opening Prayers

Today our opening prayers come at an invitation from our friends at All We Can, as part of joining with them in a commitment to pray, act and respond to the conflict in Palestine/ Israel, and include an invitation to support their Middle East Justice Appeal.

You might like to hold a moment of quiet, and light a candle if you have one available.

In your humanity, incarnate God, you walked this earth. You were promised through the prophets as the wonderful counsellor, the prince of peace. The footprint of your reign is embedded in the land of Palestine.

Those same lands you walked are now devastated by war, invasion, and death. Today, I pray that your wisdom and your peace might be at work in that part of the world, and around the globe. Today, I pray that this world may not be ruled by war, injustice and hatred but by peace-loving wisdom that offers everyone life in all its fullness.

Today, I prayer a prayer of thanks for the work of All We Can’s humanitarian partner in the region, Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre, working to provide access to healthcare for Palestinian children affected by disabilities. Thanks to support for All We Can and the Methodist Church’s Middle East appeal, 563 items of play equipment have already been provided and they are supporting an average of 90 children every week.

Even as I turn to worship you, I give thanks for the valiant efforts of those living in much more challenging circumstances, who seek to do the work of justice and peace.

Help me to be inspired to make a change in our own communities, and in all places of conflict and division, this and every day, O God. Amen.

To find out more and make a donation, you could visit allwecan.org.uk/appeals/middleeast

You may now wish to say the Lord’s Prayer in a version or translation with which you are familiar.

Reading: Matthew 14:13-21 – Click for reading

Responding to the reading

The feeding of the five thousand is one of the few stories told in all four Gospels. That alone suggests it has something important to teach us.

This story begins with grief. Just before this passage, Jesus has heard of the death of John the Baptist. He tries to withdraw to a quiet place. He seeks solitude, perhaps to pray, perhaps simply to mourn.

But the crowds follow him. At that moment, Jesus has every reason to turn them away. Instead, Matthew tells us about Jesus’ opposite reaction to them: "He had compassion for them."

Compassion wins out in Jesus, not because Jesus ignores his own grief, but because love continues to shape his response, even in the midst of it.

The disciples, however, see only scarcity: "This is a deserted place... Send the crowds away." It's a practical suggestion: there isn't enough food, there aren't enough resources, there isn't enough time.

But Jesus replies with one simple sentence: "You give them something to eat."

The disciples immediately begin counting what they lack: "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish."

How often do we do the same?

We look at the world's problems and think, ‘I don't have enough.’ Not enough money. Not enough influence. Not enough wisdom. Not enough time. Surely someone else is better equipped.

Yet Jesus doesn't ask for what they don't have, he is only interested in what they do have. The miracle begins not with abundance, but with willingness. Five loaves and two fish placed into the hands of Christ become enough.

Whether we understand this miracle as supernatural multiplication, radical sharing inspired by generosity, or perhaps a mystery that is somehow both, its message remains profoundly relevant: God works with what we are willing to offer.

For those of us seeking to follow Jesus today, this is deeply encouraging. We may not solve every injustice. We may not heal every wound. We may not change the whole world. But we can offer what we have.

What does that look like for you this week?

• A listening ear.

• A generous gift.

• A meal shared.

• A word of encouragement.

• A donation to a cause you care about.

• A commitment to justice.

• Time given freely, for a friend or a neighbour or a stranger in need.

  
  

It is with these simple, everyday acts of peace, love, justice and joy that we can answer the call of Jesus’ mission and ministry. The kingdom of God begins when we offer what we have.

When we do, well…just notice how the story ends: everyone eats, everyone is included. No one is turned away because they arrived late, or because they hadn't earned their place, or because they couldn't repay the generosity.

This is the table of God's kingdom: a place where there is enough because grace is never measured by scarcity.

So today, you might like to reflect on these questions:

• Where are you focusing more on what you lack than on what you can offer?

• What "five loaves and two fish" do you already have that God might use?

• How can you help create tables where everyone is welcomed, nourished, and treated with dignity?

  
  

The world will often tell us there is never enough, but the Gospel tells a different story.

When compassion meets generosity, and ordinary people place what they have into God's hands, abundance begins to appear.

May you trust that what you have is enough to begin. May your hands remain open in generosity, your heart open in compassion, and your life become part of God's work of feeding a hungry world—with bread, with justice, and with hope.

Hymn / Song: 706 STF – Longing for light, we wait in darkness – YouTube

Blessing

Loving God, This day, help me to know that I am surrounded by your love, Help me to notice, help me to see you at work, And help me to follow in your way, This and every day, I pray. Amen.

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Prayers and Prayer Pointers For This Week

Monday 3rd August

• August often represents a change in rhythm, as schools are closed, people are on holiday, the church year is drawing towards a close and even if that doesn’t directly affect us, it changes our communities and patterns of meeting and gathering.

• This month, you might like to use the shift in rhythm to find some time to focus on prayer. Could you give another 5 or 10 minutes each day over to quiet meditation and prayer time?

• You might like to use these daily prompts, or find another resource to help you, or simply use the time to reflect on the invitation in the Psalms: ‘Be still and know that I am God.’

Tuesday 4th August

• Going in or out of a door

• Pray for the welcome people receive when they come to your church space and the worship that takes place there. In particular give thanks for those who lead it. Musicians, Preachers, Worship Leaders and AV providers. Ask God about what they want us to know and learn and what part you can play in making people welcome.

Wednesday 5th August

• On this day in 1965, the second Indo-Pakistan war broke out, over border disputes in the region.

• Today, there continue to be many borders and boundaries between nations and people that cause conflict, argument and violence. Many of them were drawn up by European nations as part of historical empire-building and it is often this that has caused the conflict in the first place.

• Today, your prayers could be for healing and reconciliation, but also for just peace, a peace that is not simply an end of violence, but an introduction of justice – where all people can thrive and co-exist in harmony.

Thursday 6th August

• Going to Bed

• As you go to bed think about those people you encountered in some way during the day. Ask God to make clear to you who needs to feel and know their love. Think about how that can happen and the part you might play. Ask yourself about how you might invite them to join your faith family.

Friday 7th August

• It might seem a bit early in the year to start thinking about Good King Wenceslas, but today is the day that the Episcopal Church in the USA celebrate the life and ministry of John Mason Neale, the author of that and other hymns.

• Today, your prayers might like to be prayers of thanks for all who have helped to shape and influence our worship.

• We are grateful for the words, tunes, thoughts and prayers of countless thousands who continue to inspire and help us in our worship and discipleship.

Saturday 8th August

• Doing the garden or simply sitting in it:

• Pray for the created world and the cycles of life within it. For the way seeds grow and crops are harvested. For the way plants are part of the life cycle of insects and birds. For the delicate balance within creation. Share with God your joy at something you’ve seen. Share with God your concerns about the imbalance across the planet.

• Ask of God: what is mine to do?