Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 27, 2021

First Reading: 1 John 1.1-4

¹He who was from the beginning, whom we have heard, whom we have seen with our eyes, upon whom we have gazed, and whom our hands have certainly touched: He is the Word of Life²And that Life has been made manifest. And we have seen, and we testify, and we announce to you: the Eternal Life, who was with the Father, and who appeared to us³He whom we have seen and heard, we announce to you, so that you, too, may have fellowship with us, and so that our fellowship may be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ⁴And this we write to you, so that you may rejoice, and so that your joy may be full

Psalm 97

Psalms

Chapter 97

¹This is to David, when his land was restored to him. The Lord has reigned, let the earth exult. Let the many islands rejoice²Clouds and mist are all around him. Justice and judgment are corrections from his throne³A fire will precede him, and it will enflame his enemies all around⁴His lightnings have enlightened the whole world. The earth saw, and it was shaken⁵The mountains flowed like wax before the face of the Lord, before the face of the Lord of all the earth⁶The heavens announced his justice, and all peoples saw his glory⁷May all those who adore graven images be confounded, along with those who glory in their false images. All you his Angels: Adore him⁸Zion heard, and was glad. And the daughters of Judah exulted because of your judgments, O Lord⁹For you are the Most High Lord over all the earth. You are greatly exalted above all gods¹⁰You who love the Lord: hate evil. The Lord watches over the souls of his holy ones. He will free them from the hand of the sinner¹¹The light has risen for the just, and joy for the upright of heart¹²Rejoice in the Lord, you just ones, and confess to the memory of his sanctuary

Gospel: John 20.2-8

John

Chapter 20

²Therefore, she ran and went to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, "They have taken the Lord away from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.³Therefore, Peter departed with the other disciple, and they went to the tomb⁴Now they both ran together, but the other disciple ran more quickly, ahead of Peter, and so he arrived at the tomb first⁵And when he bowed down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not yet enter⁶Then Simon Peter arrived, following him, and he entered the tomb, and he saw the linen cloths lying there⁷and the separate cloth which had been over his head, not placed with the linen cloths, but in a separate place, wrapped up by itself⁸Then the other disciple, who had arrived first at the tomb, also entered. And he saw and believed

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of the resurrection and the gift of faith. In the first reading from 1 John, we hear a beautiful testimony to the Word of Life. John writes of the eternal life that has been revealed in Jesus Christ, emphasizing the tangible experience of encountering the risen Lord. He speaks of seeing, hearing, and touching the Word of Life, and he invites us to share in this fellowship with the Father and the Son. This passage reminds us that our faith is rooted in the eyewitness accounts of those who walked with Jesus and witnessed His resurrection. The Gospel from John 20 brings us to the empty tomb, where the disciples encounter the reality of the resurrection. Mary Magdalene’s distress at finding the tomb empty gives way to the disciples’ curiosity and faith. The beloved disciple, upon seeing the linens and the cloth folded separately, believes. This moment is a powerful reminder that faith often begins with doubt or uncertainty but can lead to profound trust in God’s plan. The empty tomb is not just a historical event but a symbol of the new life offered to us through Christ’s resurrection. These readings call us to embrace our role as witnesses to the resurrection in our own lives. Just as John testified to the Word of Life and the disciples believed at the empty tomb, we are called to share the joy of the Gospel with others. In a world often filled with doubt and fear, we are invited to be bearers of hope and light. Let us ask ourselves: How do we share the Good News in our daily lives? How do we allow the resurrection to transform our relationships, our struggles, and our joys? May we, like the disciples, find the courage to believe and the grace to proclaim the eternal life that has been revealed to us in Jesus Christ.