Daily readings

Sunday, August 2, 2026

18th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.

Celebration18th Sunday of Ordinary Time

TypeSunday

SeasonOrdinary Time

Year2026 archive

The Roman Catholic readings for this date are shown below on-site. Use plain reading mode if you want clearer modern wording, or switch back to the original Douay-Rheims wording at any time.

Reading mode

Plain mode helps modern readers follow the text more easily.

On-site scripture text: Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. Plain mode is a built-in reading aid that modernizes older wording for easier understanding while keeping the same Roman Catholic reading references for the day.

1

First Reading

Isaiah 55:1-3

How to approach it

Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.

1All you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money hurry, buy, and eat: come you, buy wine and milk without money, and without any price.

2Why do you spend money for that which is not breed, and your work for that which does not satisfy you? Hearken diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness.

3Incline your ear and come to me: hear and your soul shall lire, and I will make an eternal covenant with you, the faithful mercies of David.

2

Psalm

Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18

How to pray it

The psalm is meant to be prayed, not rushed. If the wording feels older, focus on the main movement of the prayer: trust, praise, sorrow, gratitude, or hope.

8Whose mouth has said emptiness: and their right hand is the right hand of sin.

9To you, OH God, I will sing a new canticle: on the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings I will sing praises to you.

15They have called the people happy, that has these things: but happy is that people whose God is the Lord.

3

Second Reading

Romans 8:35, 37-39

How to read it

This reading often teaches Christians how to live with steadiness, charity, and faith. Look for one clear encouragement or warning you can carry into the day.

35Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble? or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword?

37But in all these things we overcome, because of him that has loved us.

38For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might,

39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

4

Gospel

Matthew 14:13-21

What to watch for

The Gospel is the center of the reading set. Pay close attention to what Jesus says, what Jesus does, and what response he is asking for.

13Which when Jesus had heard, he retired from from there by boat, into a desert place apart, and the crowds having heard of it, followed him on foot out of the cities.

14And he coming forth saw a great crowd, and had compassion on them, and healed their sick.

15And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send away the crowds, that going into the towns, they may buy themselves victuals.

16But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give you them to eat.

17They answered him: We have not here, but five bread, and two fishes.

18He said to them: Bring them here to me.

19And when he had commanded the crowds to sit down upon the grass, he took the five bread and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the bread to his disciples, and the disciples to the crowds.

20And they did all eat, and were satisfied. And they took up what remained, twelve full baskets of fragments.

21And the number of them that did eat, was five thousand men, besides women and children.

Source note

This page uses the Catholic Readings API for the day's references and liturgical celebration data, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from the public-domain Douay-Rheims Bible distributed through the Open Bibles project.