Saint Macartin’s Cathedral Enniskillen
MORNING PRAYER (1) – PAGE 84 
26th July 2026 - The Eighth Sunday after Trinity

Processional Hymn: 321 Holy, holy, holy

A GENERAL CONFESSION
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare Thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore Thou them that are penitent; According to Thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for His sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of Thy holy Name. Amen.
THE ABSOLUTION
Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness, and live; and hath given power, and commandment, to His Ministers, to declare and pronounce to His people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins: He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe His holy Gospel. Wherefore let us beseech Him to grant us true repentance, and His Holy Spirit, that those things may please Him which we do at this present; and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy; so that at the last we may come to His eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, open Thou our lips and our mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord. The Lord's Name be praised.

VENITE

The First Reading: 1 Kings 3: 5-12
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to Your servant my father David, because he walked before You in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards You; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made Your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give Your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern Your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this Your great people?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.  

Psalm 128 page 746 (467)
1    Blessed are all those who fear the Lord, ♦
      and walk in His ways.
2    You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands; ♦
      it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be.
3    Your wife within your house shall be like a fruitful vine; ♦
      your children round your table, like fresh olive branches.
4    Thus shall the one be blest ♦
      who fears the Lord.
5    The Lord from out of Zion bless you, ♦
      that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity all the days of your life.
6    May you see your children’s children, ♦
      and may there be peace upon Israel.

The Epistle: Romans 8: 26-39
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom He predestined He also called; and those whom He called He also justified; and those whom He justified He also glorified. What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold His own Son, but gave Him up for all of us, will He not with Him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, Who died, yes, Who was raised, Who is at the right hand of God, Who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hymn: 657 O God of Bethel

The Gospel: Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-52
He put before them another parable: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
He told them another parable: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ‘Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. ‘Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the Kingdom of Heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’

THE APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into Hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Lord, have mercy upon us Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us.

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. Amen.

O Lord, show thy mercy upon us and grant us Thy salvation.

O Lord, save the King and mercifully hear us when we call upon Thee.

Endue Thy ministers with righteousness and make Thy chosen people joyful.

O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.

Give peace in our time, O Lord, because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only Thou, O God.

O God, make clean our hearts within us and take not Thy Holy Spirit from us.

THE COLLECTS

The Collect of the Day - page 287 (199)
Blessed are You, O Lord, and blessed are those who observe and keep Your law: Help us to seek You with our whole heart, to delight in Your commandments and to walk in the glorious liberty
given us by Your Son, Jesus Christ.

THE SECOND COLLECT For Peace
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of Whom standeth our eternal life, Whose service is perfect freedom; Defend us Thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in Thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE THIRD COLLECT For Grace
O Lord, our Heavenly Father, Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with Thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by Thy governance, to do always that is righteous in Thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYERS

Hymn: 13 God moves in mysterious ways

The Sermon

Offertory Hymn: 346 Angel voices

The Blessing 

Hymn: 487 Soldiers of Christ

ANNOUNCEMENTS for 26th July 2026
New Parish Readers
Twelve people are now beginning training as Parish Readers for the Diocese. Three have been placed with the Dean, in St Macartin’s Cathedral for eight Sundays between June and September - Andrew Humphries, Norma Ferguson and Raymond Magee. We are very pleased to have them join us, and take part in the services, during this time. Our own Joshua Martin has been placed in Derryvullen North.
Macmillan Cancer Fund Raiser
Jessica Saunderson is raising money for Macmillan Cancer, by swimming 21 miles during June and July and would appreciate a donation. The link is https://swimit.macmillan.org.uk/fundraising/jessicas-swim-it-page? You can also donate on Facebook, Instagram or Tik Tok. 
First Aid Course
A 1 day FAA Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid is taking place at FRCI premises, 56a Tempo Road Enniskillen on Monday 27th July. 
For more information and to book a place, please contact them on 02866326478.
St Macartin’s Cathedral Big Breakfast Saturday 26th September
Please put this date in your diary and keep it free! 
Please invite family and friends. All are most welcome to attend.
Thursday 30th July 
11.00am - Holy Communion
Sunday 2nd August - The Ninth Sunday after Trinity 
9.00am - Holy Communion 
11.00am - Holy Communion