Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 26, 2026
First Reading: 2 Timothy 1.1-8 or Titus 1.1-5
1Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, in accord with the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus2to Timothy, most beloved son. Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord3I give thanks to God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. For without ceasing I hold the remembrance of you in my prayers, night and day4desiring to see you, recalling your tears so as to be filled with joy5calling to mind the same faith, which is in you unfeigned, which also first dwelt in your grandmother, Lois, and in your mother, Eunice, and also, I am certain, in you6Because of this, I admonish you to revive the grace of God, which is in you by the imposition of my hands7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint8And so, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Instead, collaborate with the Gospel in accord with the virtue of God
1Paul, a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, in accord with the faith of God’s elect and in acknowledgment of the truth which is accompanied by piety2in the hope of the eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before the ages of time3which, at the proper time, he has manifested by his Word, in the preaching that has been entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior4to Titus, beloved son according to the common faith. Grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior5For this reason, I left you behind in Crete: so that those things which are lacking, you would correct, and so that you would ordain, throughout the communities, priests, (just as I also ordained you
Psalm 96
1A Canticle of David himself, when the house was built after the captivity. Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth2Sing to the Lord and bless his name. Announce his salvation from day to day3Announce his glory among the Gentiles, his miracles among all peoples4For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. He is terrible, beyond all gods5For all the gods of the Gentiles are demons, but the Lord made the heavens6Confession and beauty are in his sight. Sanctity and magnificence are in his sanctuary7Bring to the Lord, you natives of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honor8Bring to the Lord glory for his name. Lift up sacrifices, and enter into his courts9Adore the Lord in his holy court. Let the entire earth be shaken before his face10Say among the Gentiles: The Lord has reigned. For he has even corrected the whole world, which will not be shaken. He will judge the peoples with fairness11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth exult; let the sea and all its fullness be moved12The fields and all the things that are in them will be glad. Then all the trees of the forest will rejoic13before the face of the Lord: for he arrives. For he arrives to judge the earth. He will judge the whole world with fairness and the peoples with his truth
Gospel: Luke 10.1-9
1Then, after these things, the Lord also designated another seventy-two. And he sent them in pairs before his face, into every city and place where he was to arrive2And he said to them: "Certainly the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his harvest3Go forth. Behold, I send you out like lambs among wolves4Do not choose to carry a purse, nor provisions, nor shoes; and you shall greet no one along the way5Into whatever house you will have entered, first say, ‘Peace to this house.6And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you7And remain in the same house, eating and drinking the things that are with them. For the worker is worthy of his pay. Do not choose to pass from house to house8And into whatever city you have entered and they have received you, eat what they set before you9And cure the sick who are in that place, and proclaim to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.
Sermon
Saint Paul, writing to his beloved Timothy, urges him to rekindle the gift of God within him, a gift received through the laying on of hands, rooted in the sincere faith passed down through his grandmother and mother. Paul reminds Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control, and encourages him not to be ashamed of the Gospel or of Paul’s own imprisonment, but to join in suffering for the Good News. This heartfelt encouragement finds its echo in the Gospel, where our Lord Jesus Christ designates seventy-two disciples and sends them out in pairs. He commissions them to go ahead of Him into every town and place, proclaiming that the Kingdom of God has drawn near, healing the sick, and bringing peace, all while warning them that they go as "lambs among wolves."
These readings powerfully remind us of our own call to discipleship and evangelization. Paul's exhortation to Timothy to stir into flame the grace within him is a personal challenge to each one of us. How often do we let the gifts of the Holy Spirit lie dormant, allowing fear, apathy, or worldly concerns to prevent us from living out our faith boldly? Like the seventy-two sent out with minimal provisions, we are called to trust in God's providence, to detach ourselves from excessive worldly worries, and to step out in faith, ready to share the peace and truth of the Gospel in our own unique circumstances.
The harvest, as Jesus tells us, is still abundant, but the laborers remain few. We are those laborers. Let us not be ashamed of our testimony, but rather, by the power of the Holy Spirit, strive to bring the Kingdom of God closer to those around us. This means overcoming our fears, actively nurturing the grace we have received, and courageously offering the peace of Christ in our families, workplaces, and communities. May we all heed the call to rekindle our faith and become effective, loving, and self-controlled witnesses to the enduring Good News.