Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 2, 2026

First Reading: 1 John 2.22-28

²²Who is a liar, other than he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son²³No one who denies the Son also has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son, also has the Father²⁴As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you, too, shall abide in the Son and in the Father²⁵And this is the Promise, which he himself has promised to us: Eternal Life²⁶I have written these things to you, because of those who would seduce you²⁷But as for you, let the Anointing that you have received from him abide in you. And so, you have no need of anyone to teach you. For his Anointing teaches you about everything, and it is the truth, and it is not a lie. And just as his Anointing has taught you, abide in him²⁸And now, little sons, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have faith, and we may not be confounded by him at his advent

Psalm 98

Psalms

Chapter 98

¹A Psalm of David himself. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has performed wonders. His right hand has accomplished salvation for him, with his holy arm²The Lord has made known his salvation. He has revealed his justice in the sight of the nations³He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God⁴Sing joyfully to God, all the earth. Sing and exult, and sing psalms⁵Sing psalms to the Lord with stringed instruments, with strings and the voice of a psalmist⁶with subtle wind instruments and the voice of woodwinds. Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king⁷Let the sea be moved and all its fullness, the whole world and all who dwell in it⁸The rivers will clap their hands, the mountains will exult together⁹before the presence of the Lord. For he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the whole world with justice, and the peoples with fairness

Gospel: John 1.19-28

John

Chapter 1

¹⁹And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him, so that they might ask him, "Who are you?²⁰And he confessed it and did not deny it; and what he confessed was: "I am not the Christ.²¹And they questioned him: "Then what are you? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No.²²Therefore, they said to him: "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?²³He said, "I am a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ just as the prophet Isaiah said.²⁴And some of those who had been sent were from among the Pharisees²⁵And they questioned him and said to him, "Then why do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the Prophet?²⁶John answered them by saying: "I baptize with water. But in your midst stands one, whom you do not know²⁷The same is he who is to come after me, who has been placed ahead of me, the laces of whose shoes I am not worthy to loosen.²⁸These things happened in Bethania, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing

Sermon

The first reading from 1 John encourages us to remain steadfast in the truth we have heard from the beginning: that Jesus is the Christ. It warns against those who deny this fundamental truth, identifying them as antichrist spirits, and assures us that abiding in this truth means abiding in both the Son and the Father, leading to the promise of eternal life. The anointing we have received, the passage explains, teaches us all truth and guides us to remain in Him. In the Gospel of John, we witness John the Baptist embodying this commitment to truth, as he humbly and clearly denies being the Christ, Elijah, or the Prophet. Instead, he identifies himself solely as a voice preparing the way for the Lord, acknowledging his unworthiness even to untie the laces of the one who stands among them, whom they do not yet know. These readings powerfully converge on the theme of truth and identity. 1 John calls us to discern and confess the true identity of Jesus as the Christ, guarding our faith against any denial or deception. John the Baptist serves as a profound example of this discernment. He does not allow himself to be misidentified or elevated beyond his true calling. His humility in pointing away from himself and towards the true Messiah is a powerful testament to living in the truth. Just as the anointing in 1 John teaches us, John the Baptist's life teaches us to focus not on our own significance, but on the One who truly matters, preparing our hearts and the hearts of others for His coming. In our own lives, we are constantly invited to embrace or deny the truth of Christ. This means not only intellectual assent but living a life that reflects our belief in Him as Lord and Savior. We are called to embody John the Baptist's humility, always directing attention to Christ rather than ourselves, and to rely on the Spirit's anointing to discern the truth amidst the many competing voices in the world. Our steadfastness in confessing Jesus as the Christ, and our willingness to make His way straight in our own hearts and actions, is how we truly abide in Him and receive the promise of eternal life.