Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 2026 – June 28

On June 28, 2026, we will celebrate the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost with Morning Prayer.

This Sunday’s readings focus on the true nature of prophecy and the freedom we have received. In this context, Jeremiah confronts a false prophet and appeals to God’s truth as the standard for authentic witness. The psalm celebrates God’s covenant faithfulness and the joy of walking in His presence. Paul speaks about the slavery we once experienced and the new form of slavery — slavery to righteousness — into which we have been set free. Additionally, Jesus reminds His disciples that even the smallest act of welcome and hospitality offered in His name carries an eternal reward.

Join us for worship in the way that suits you best! You can worship with us in person, via Morning Prayer, or via Podcast.

If You Cannot Join Us In Person for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 2026!

We recognize that attending in person may not always be possible; therefore, we provide several virtual options.

Livestream/Replay

Join us for Morning Prayer at 9:00 AM on Sunday. The organ prelude starts at 8:50 AM. After the service, you can watch the live stream recording at any time.

Podcast

Did you know that we are available on all major platforms? Our podcast covers everything from the opening hymn to the closing blessing.

The Collect for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 2026

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 2026

Old Testament: Jeremiah 28:5–9

Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord; and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

Psalm 89:1–4, 15–18

Epistle: Romans 6:12–23

Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and that you, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel: Matthew 10:40–42

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

Reflection on the Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 2026

The Test of True Prophecy – Jeremiah 28:5–9

Jeremiah stands in the temple and has just heard some hopeful news. Another prophet, Hananiah, has declared that the Lord will restore the temple vessels and bring back all the exiles from Babylon. This is what Jeremiah and all of Judah long to hear. Jeremiah’s initial response is gracious: “Amen! May the Lord bring it to pass.”

Jeremiah speaks, and his words reveal the underlying tension in all prophecy. He does not directly accuse Hananiah of lying; instead, he cites historical examples and proposes a test of authenticity. The prophets who came before him—Jeremiah included—prophesied war, famine, and pestilence. These messages are uncomfortable, but they convey important truths. Then, Jeremiah presents the test: “As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

This statement highlights the relationship between truth and authority. Jeremiah does not dismiss the desire for peace; in fact, he hopes that Hananiah’s words will come true. However, he insists that true prophecy must be measured against time and reality. Anyone can make comforting claims, but only God’s word reveals its truth when the time is right.

In our contemporary world, where various voices vie for our attention and authority, we often feel drawn to the prophets who tell us what we want to hear. Jeremiah’s test remains relevant: Does this message come true? Does it produce positive outcomes in the lives of those who embrace it? Or is it simply a comforting distraction from the difficult truths we need to confront?

The Covenant That Lasts for Ever – Psalm 89:1–4, 15–18

The psalm transitions from the specific covenant God made with David and his descendants to the universal experience of trusting in God. “I will sing of your love, O Lord, forever; I will proclaim your faithfulness from generation to generation.”

The psalm is based on a fundamental belief: God’s love endures forever, and His faithfulness is firmly established in the heavens. This love does not waver, nor does His faithfulness depend on our actions. It is intrinsically woven into the very fabric of creation, as stable and reliable as the stars.

The second half of the reading focuses on the experiences of those who live in accordance with this covenant. “Happy are the people who know the joyful shout! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your presence.” There is a profound joy available to those who trust in God, a celebration in His name, and a sense of jubilation in His righteousness. This is not the grim obedience of someone fulfilling an obligation, but rather the delight of someone who walks in the presence of a loving God.

“Truly, the Lord is our ruler; the Holy One of Israel is our King.” This declaration is made not out of coercion but out of choice. These people have made the decision — and continue to make it each day — that their true allegiance lies with God. In this choice, they discover freedom and joy.

From Slavery to Slavery – Romans 6:12–23

Paul’s concept of slavery may be surprising, but it is clear. He states that every individual is a slave to something—either to sin or to righteousness, either to death or to life. There is no middle ground or neutral territory.

The individuals Paul is addressing have been freed from one form of slavery. They were once enslaved to sin, using their bodies, actions, and choices as instruments of wickedness. Sin caused them to descend further into impurity and greater wrongdoing, ultimately leading to death, which is the consequence of sin.

They have been brought from death to life and set free from sin. Now, Paul invites them into a paradoxical freedom: “Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and offer your bodies to God as instruments of righteousness.”

This does not mean the removal of all constraints; rather, it signifies the exchange of one master for another. The difference, however, is significant! The first master leads to death and shame, while the second master leads to sanctification and eternal life. Paul emphasizes this point: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Christian life is not defined by the absence of obligation. Instead, it is about the joy of realizing that we are no longer enslaved to the forces that once harmed us. This new form of slavery—slavery to righteousness and to God—does not lead to a diminished life but to true fulfillment and life.

The Least of These – Matthew 10:40–42

Jesus’ final words in the tenth chapter of Matthew return to the theme of welcome that runs throughout his entire commission to the disciples: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”

This represents a transfer of identity. When we welcome a disciple of Jesus, we are, in a meaningful way, welcoming Jesus himself. Furthermore, to welcome Jesus is to welcome the Father who sent him. In this unique dynamic of the kingdom, the hospitality extended to the least among us becomes an act of reverence offered to God.

Jesus emphasizes that even the smallest acts of kindness hold great significance. He teaches that it’s not only prophets and righteous individuals who bear this importance. Offering a cup of cold water—a simple gesture of care—to “one of these little ones in the name of a disciple” comes with an eternal reward. This message conveys to his disciples that every moment matters and that every person is important.

The nineteenth-century Christian author George MacDonald wrote: “The Son of God suffered unto death not so that people would not suffer, but so that their sufferings might resemble His—voluntary, generous, uncomplaining, and beneficial to those around them.” This passage conveys a similar message from Jesus: even your smallest acts of kindness, offered in my name, carry eternal significance.

The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 2026 Wrap-Up

These readings together illustrate a vision of faithfulness amid confusion and temptation. Jeremiah presents a prophet who refuses to compromise with falsehood, even when it appears appealing. The psalm reminds us that God’s covenant with His people is unshakeable, and that walking in the light of His presence brings joy. Paul declares that we have been liberated from the slavery of sin and invited into a new form of servitude—slavery to righteousness—that leads to life. Jesus teaches His disciples that the hospitality and care extended in His name have eternal significance.

In a world filled with competing voices and a culture drawn to easy answers and comfortable falsehoods, these readings urge us to ground ourselves in truth. They call us to trust in God’s faithfulness, present ourselves as instruments of righteousness, and recognize that even the smallest acts of kindness and care hold eternal significance.

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The Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospels readings are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Collect and Psalm are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.