SMC ENGLISH MASS - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A (2 Aug 2026)
SMC English Mass - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A (2 Aug 2026)
Prayer for the 80th Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Messengers of Hope
O Lord, You are the source of all blessings and you guide the course of human history by your Providence.
With gratitude we thank you for the establishment of our Diocese eighty years ago.
In the footsteps of our predecessors, we have steadfastly kept the heritage of our Faith over the years and so have been able
to experience your unfailing help in the face of challenges;
to regain strength in our weakness;
to restore hope in our discouragement;
to look for your direction when we have lost our way.
As your children, may we always entrust ourselves to you in humility. May we always respond to your calling for us to carry on our mission to spread the Gospel and bear witness to our faith in Hong Kong, sowing the seeds of love and hope while living in joy and peace.
We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
PROCESSIONAL HYMN
All the time #014 P.5
1. I want You with me all the time, sunrise and sunset and all the time
You are the one Lord I am looking for, Jesus our Saviour, could I love You more
* Warm as the May wine, wild as the sea
These are the feelings You’ve waken in me
I had my moments and a dream or two
But I needed someone all the time, and all the time it was You
2. I will follow You all the time, seasons will change but won't be my mind
I try to find the way to reach Your door, to God shall I pray and adore
Sign of the cross
Priest ✠ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Greeting
P✠: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And with your spirit.
Penitential Act
P✠: Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
All: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, (striking their breast) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Kyrie Eleison
P✠: You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P✠: You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
P✠: You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
P✠: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Gloria
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise You. We bless You. We adore you. We glorify You. We give You thanks for Your great glory. Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father: you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One. You alone are the Lord. You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Collect
Let us pray (pause)
Draw near prayers with unceasing kindness, that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
1st Reading – Isaiah 55:1-3
Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat. Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heed fully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. – The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
2nd Reading – Romans 8:35, 37-39
Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Alleluia – Matthew 4:4b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel – Matthew 14:13-21
When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over— twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.– The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
Nicene Creed
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Faithful
OFFERTORY HYMN
I asked the Lord - #130 P.42
1. I asked the Lord to comfort me when things weren't going my way
He said to me: "I will comfort you and liſt your cares away”
2. I asked the Lord to walk with me, when darkness was all that I knew
He said to me: "Never be afraid for I will see you through"
# I didn't ask for riches, He gave me wealth untold
The moon, the stars, the sun, the sky. And gave me eyes to behold
* I thank the Lord for everything and I count my blessing each day
He came to me when I needed Him, I only had to pray
And He'll come to you if you ask Him to. He's only a prayer away
P✠: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Prayer over the Offerings
Graciously sanctify these gifts, O Lord, we pray, and, accepting the oblation of this spiritual sacrifice, make of us an eternal offering to you.
Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
P✠: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
P✠: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.
P✠: It is truly right and just,.... , as with one voice we acclaim:
Sanctus
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
P✠: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the….
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
P✠: In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
P✠: The mystery of faith.
All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
P✠: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection,.....
P✠: Through him, and with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
P✠: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
P✠: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.
P✠: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
P✠: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Agnus Dei
All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
P✠: Lord Jesus Christ,....
P✠: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
COMMUNION HYMN
Locusts and wild honey #175 P.56
1. There was a man named John the Baptist, and here is his message
Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is right at hand
* Man cannot live on bread alone, but on ev'ry word
That comes from the mouth of God
For the time has come, and the Kingdom of God is right at hand
Repent and believe the Good News, repent and believe the Good News
2. This man John wore a garment of camel's skin, with a leather rope round his waist
All he ate was locusts and wild honey
Let us break bread together #170 P.55
1. Let us break bread together on our knees. (x2)
* When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
O Lord, have mercy on me
2. Let us drink wine together on our knees - (x2)
3. Let us praise God together on our knees - (x2)
Prayer After Communion
P✠: Let us pray (pause)
We have consumed, O Lord, this divine Sacrament, the perpetual memorial of the Passion of your Son;
grant, we pray, that this gift,
which he himself gave us with love beyond all telling, may profit us for salvation.
Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
P✠: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
P✠: May almighty God bless you, ✠ the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen
P✠: Go forth, the Mass is ended.
All: Thanks be to God.
RECESSIONAL HYMN
My God loves me #209 P.69
1. My God loves me, His love will never end
He rests within my heart for my God loves me
2. His gentle hand. He stretches over me
Though storm clouds threaten the day, He will set me free
3. He comes to me in sharing bread and wine
He brings me life that will reach past the end of time
4. My God loves me, His faithful love endures
And I will live like a child held in love secure
5. The joys of love as offerings now we bring
The pains of love will be lost in the praise we sing
