Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 23, 2025
First Reading: Malachi 3.1-4; 4.5-6
1Behold, I send my angel, and he will prepare the way before my face. And presently the Sovereign, whom you seek, and the angel of testimony, whom you desire, will arrive at his temple. Behold, he approaches, says the Lord of hosts2And who will be able to consider the day of his advent, and who will stand firm in order to see him? For he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb3And he will sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he will purge the sons of Levi, and he will gather them like gold and like silver, and they will offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice4And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem will please the Lord, just as in the days of past generations, and as in the ancient years
Psalm 25
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David. To you, Lord, I have lifted up my soul2In you, my God, I trust. Let me not be put to shame3And do not let my enemies laugh at me. For all who remain with you will not be confounded4May all those who act unjustly over nothing be confounded. O Lord, demonstrate your ways to me, and teach me your paths5Direct me in your truth, and teach me. For you are God, my Saviour, and I remain with you all day long6O Lord, remember your compassion and your mercies, which are from ages past7Do not remember the offenses of my youth and my ignorances. Remember me according to your mercy, because of your goodness, O Lord8The Lord is sweet and righteous. Because of this, he will grant a law to those who fall short in the way9He will direct the mild in judgment. He will teach the meek his ways10All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to those who yearn for his covenant and his testimonies11Because of your name, O Lord, you will pardon my sin, for it is great12Which is the man who fears the Lord? He has established a law for him, on the way that he has chosen13His soul will dwell upon good things, and his offspring will inherit the earth14The Lord is a firmament to those who fear him, and his covenant will be made manifest to them15My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pull my feet from the snare16Look upon me and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor17The troubles of my heart have been multiplied. Deliver me from my needfulness18See my lowliness and my hardship, and release all my offenses19Consider my enemies, for they have been multiplied, and they have hated me with an unjust hatred20Preserve my soul and rescue me. I will not be ashamed, for I have hoped in you21The innocent and the righteous have adhered to me, because I have remained with you22Free Israel, O God, from all his tribulations
Gospel: Luke 1.57-66
57Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth arrived, and she brought forth a son58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and so they congratulated her59And it happened that, on the eighth day, they arrived to circumcise the boy, and they called him by his father’s name, Zechariah60And in response, his mother said: "Not so. Instead, he shall be called John.61And they said to her, "But there is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.62Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him to be called63And requesting a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: "His name is John." And they all wondered64Then, at once, his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke, blessing God65And fear fell upon all of their neighbors. And all these words were made known throughout all the hill country of Judea66And all those who heard it stored it up in their heart, saying: "What do you think this boy will be?" And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him
Sermon
Today's readings speak of divine preparation and the unfolding of God's plan. In Malachi, we hear a prophecy of a messenger sent to prepare the way for the Lord, who will arrive like a refining fire, purifying and cleansing His people so that their sacrifices may be pleasing to Him. This passage also foretells the coming of Elijah, who will turn hearts towards one another before the Lord's great day. In the Gospel of Luke, we witness the fulfillment of such prophecies in the birth of John the Baptist. His miraculous birth to elderly Elizabeth, his divinely ordained name "John"—contrary to family custom—and the immediate restoration of Zechariah’s speech all point to his unique role. These events caused great wonder and even fear among their neighbors, prompting them to ponder what this child was destined to become, acknowledging that the hand of the Lord was upon him.
The connection between these passages is profound: Malachi's prophecy of a forerunner, often associated with Elijah, finds its direct fulfillment in John the Baptist. John, born of an elderly couple and named by divine command, is that very messenger, whose life and ministry would prepare the hearts of people for the coming of the Messiah, just as Malachi foretold. The "refining fire" and "fuller's herb" that the Lord brings through His messenger speak not of harsh judgment alone, but of a necessary purification—a spiritual cleansing that makes us fit to stand before Him and offer lives of justice and devotion. Zechariah's silence, broken by his obedient naming of John, underscores the divine authority behind this plan, demanding trust and obedience over human expectation.
These readings invite us to examine our own lives. Are we preparing our hearts for the Lord's presence, not just in grand moments, but in our daily choices? The Lord's coming, anticipated by John, is an ongoing invitation to allow ourselves to be refined, shedding whatever hinders our relationship with God and neighbor. Just as John was set apart for a specific purpose, each of us is called to a unique role in God's unfolding plan. We are to trust in His providence, even when His ways seem contrary to human logic or tradition, and to cultivate a sense of wonder and reverence for the ways He works in the world and in our own souls. Let us remember that His intention is always to purify us, making our lives a pleasing offering, and turning our hearts towards Him and towards one another in true reconciliation.