This Sunday's Readings

Church of the Sacred Heart

15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

12 & 13 JULY 2025

Collect

Let us pray.

O God, who show the light of your truth

to those who go astray,

so that they may return to the right path,

give all who for the faith they profess

are accounted Christians

the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ

and to strive after all that does it honour.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

First Reading 

A reading from the book of Deuteronomy.                   30:10-14

The Law is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach

Moses said to the people: ‘Obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping those commandments and laws of his that are written in the Book of this Law, and you shall return to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

    ‘For this Law that I enjoin on you today is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, “Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, “Who will cross the seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” No, the Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance.’

The word of the Lord.

Response: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

R.  Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

This is my prayer to you,

    my prayer for your favour.

In your great love, answer me, O God,

    with your help that never fails:

Lord, answer, for your love is kind;

    in your compassion, turn towards me.

R.  Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

As for me in my poverty and pain

    let your help, O God, lift me up.

I will praise God’s name with a song;

    I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

R.  Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

The poor when they see it will be glad

    and God-seeking hearts will revive;

for the Lord listens to the needy

    and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

R.  Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

For God will bring help to Zion

    and rebuild the cities of Judah

    and men shall dwell there in possession.

The sons of his servants shall inherit it;

    those who love his name shall dwell there.

R.  Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

Second Reading 

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians.            1:15-20

All things were created through Christ and for Christ

Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God

and the first-born of all creation,

for in him were created

all things in heaven and on earth:

everything visible and everything invisible,

Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –

all things were created through him and for him.

Before anything was created, he existed,

and he holds all things in unity.

Now the Church is his body,

he is its head.

As he is the Beginning,

he was first to be born from the dead,

so that he should be first in every way;

because God wanted all perfection

to be found in him

and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,

everything in heaven and everything on earth,

when he made peace

by his death on the cross.

The word of the Lord.

Response: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, 

says the Lord, 

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel 

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.                10:25-37

Response: Glory to you, O Lord.

Who is my neighbour?

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘Do this and life is yours.’

    But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Response: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer Of The Faithful

Introduction: God’s truth guides us in the way of love. Mindful that His Word is ever near to us, we bring our petitions to Him with confidence in His great love.

Response: Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

1. For our Church. That our Holy Father and all who teach and lead us in the faith may be guided in spiritual wisdom and understanding to nurture the Church in proclaiming God’s love. Let us pray to the Lord.

2. For peace in the world. That the Spirit of Peace and Hope may reconcile and convert the hearts of leaders to bring an end to the atrocities of war and the loss of innocent lives in warring countries. Let us pray to the Lord.

3. For our parish community. That we may strive to be good Samaritans whose compassionate hearts will bring the healing love of Christ to all in need. Let us pray to the Lord.

4. For those who have gone before us. That our dearly departed who have kept faith in God’s commandments may experience God’s mercy and everlasting peace. Let us pray to the Lord.

5. We now pray in silence for other needs and intentions …

For these and other needs and intentions, let us pray to the Lord.

Conclusion: We thank you, all-powerful God of Mercy, for sharing your life and love with us. Grant us our prayers according to Your will. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.