Collects, Readings and Prayers for Sunday, 25^th January 2026

The Conversion of St Paul

Collect

Almighty God,

who caused the light of the gospel

to shine throughout the world

through the preaching of your servant Saint Paul:

grant that we who celebrate his wonderful conversion

may follow him in bearing witness to your truth;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Readings

Acts 9: 1-22 The Conversion of Saul

9 ¹Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ⁵ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ ⁷ The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ ¹¹ The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ ¹³ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.’ ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; ¹⁶ I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ ¹⁷ So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul Preaches in Damascus

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, ²⁰ and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ ²¹ All who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ ²² Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah.

Galatians 1:11-16

Paul’s Vindication of His Apostleship

¹¹ For I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin; ¹² for I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³ You have heard, no doubt, of my earlier life in Judaism. I was violently persecuting the church of God and was trying to destroy it. ¹⁴ I advanced in Judaism beyond many among my people of the same age, for I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. ¹⁵ But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles.

Matthew 19:27-30

²⁷  Peter said to Jesus, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ ²⁸ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold,  and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.        

Third Sunday of Epiphany

Collect

Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Readings

Isaiah 9:1-4

¹But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. ²The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. ³You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. ⁴For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18

¹⁰Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. ¹¹For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. ¹²What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” ¹³Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

¹⁴I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.)

¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. ¹⁸For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23

¹²Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. ¹³He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ¹⁵“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— ¹⁶the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”¹⁷From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

¹⁸As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ¹⁹And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” ²⁰Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. ²²Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

²³Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Prayers

Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, sends the word of light into a world of darkness to enlighten, to transform, to heal, and to save. With grateful joy, we offer our prayers to our Father through Him.

Prayers focussing on the conversion of St Paul

• Heavenly Father, as we commemorate the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, we come before You seeking the transformative power of Your grace in our lives too. Thank You for the profound example of St. Paul, who experienced a radical conversion that changed the course of his life. Help us to learn from his story and to be open to the transforming work of Your Spirit in our own lives today and every day. Amen

• Lord Jesus Christ, you turned Saint Paul’s zeal for the way of his ancestors into zeal for you, who are the Way and the Truth:
  – open the minds of all people of good will to receive your transforming word. 

Lord Jesus Christ, you called Saint Paul out of darkness into marvellous light:
– enlighten all those who hate and persecute. 

Lord Jesus Christ, you sent St Paul to preach the good news to unbelievers:
– call out from among us those to share the good news with the unconvinced, the indifferent, the unchurched.

Lord Jesus Christ, you commissioned St Paul to bring new life to Jew and Gentile, man and woman, slave and free:
– speak the word of life and love to all who dwell apart from you and are hostile to one another.

Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Gospel which St Paul preached,      - draw all peoples to yourself. Amen

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Prayers relating to the readings for Epiphany 3.

• The Prayer of St Francis of Assisi for an Attitude of Service and Peace 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
Good Master, grant
that I may not so much seek to be consoled
as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying
that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

• Holy Spirit, as you guided the disciples to leave their nets by the sea in order to follow Jesus, inspire us to lay aside those things that are peripheral to faith. Help us see our need to repent, as both John the Baptist and Jesus preached.

Let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Heavenly Father, involved in our history from the beginning, we ask you to shine your great light upon our country, along with all other countries, whether they be friend or foe. All of us need oppression to end, darkness to vanish, and peace to reign.

Let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, forbid us from trying to empty your cross of its power by using false wisdom or glib praise. Help us see that your cross, which is foolishness to so many, is the very power of God.

Let us walk in the light of the Lord. Amen

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General Prayers

• We pray for all humanity; though divided into nations and races, yet all people are your children, drawing from you their life and being, commanded by you to obey your laws, each in accordance with the power to know and understand them. Case hatred and strife to vanish, that abiding peace may fill the earth, and humanity everywhere be blessed with the fruit of peace.

So shall the spirit of family among people show forth their faith that you are Father of all Amen.

• This world is a place of richness and delight for many but not for all. Greed and minimal concern for your wonderful creation has brought about prosperity for some and poverty for others. Help us never to forget that we are guardians of the many treasures which we possess. We hold them in trust for you and for our children and children’s children. Help us once again to commit ourselves to carrying out those responsibilities faithfully and well. Amen

• Lord we are tempted to despair when we consider the current state of the world, the number of armed conflicts, the cruelty and brutality rampant in many countries and the seeming promulgation of the belief that might is right, endorsed by President Trump at his latest speech in Davos when he presented the vision of colonialism and a world in which might trumps law or ethics and persisted in voicing his desire to annexe Greenland. We turn to you Lord Jesus, you who are King of kings and Lord of lords.

We place into your care the leaders of nations. Restrain their impulses to wield power and control over others. Help them to develop good relationships between one another. May they act with humility rather than arrogance, aware that they have been appointed to serve and to seek to make the world a place where bitterness and strife, revenge and division between nations no longer exists. May they seek international agreements in trade, education, culture, health and welfare that recognise our interdependence and promote unity. Guide their decision making so that people may live in peace and security. Amen

• Compassionate Lord, we pray for those who have been devastated by recent disasters, thinking particularly of the victims of the railway crashes in Spain and of the landslides in New Zealand. But so many more Lord whose lives have been affected by disaster, be it natural or man-made/ In this regard, we continue to hold up before you all the victims of the conflict between Israel and the people of Gaza. We remember those who have lost their lives and hold in our hearts the families forever changed by grief and loss. Bring them consolation and comfort. Surround them with our prayer for strength. Bless those who have survived and heal their memories of trauma and devastation. May they have the courage to face the long road of rebuilding ahead.

We ask your blessing on all those who have lost their homes, their livelihoods, their security and their hope. Bless the work of relief agencies and those providing emergency assistance. May their work be guided by the grace and strength that comes from You alone.

Help us to respond with generosity in prayer, in assistance, in aid to the best of our abilities. Keep our hearts focused on the needs of those affected, even after the crisis is over. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen

• We bring before you in the quietness of our minds those people for whom we have especial concern – the sick and the sorrowing – the lonely and the oppressed – those who mourn or struggle for meaning in their lives – all for whom today will be marked by difficulty beyond their powers to cope. Help them to find their rest and support in you, and may you give strength and courage to those who are carers. Amen
   

Father, what we have prayed for, answer. What we should have prayed for, remember. What we regret, forgive.  And what we are, bless. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.