Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 31, 2019
First Reading: 1 John 2.18-21
18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
Psalm 96
1Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!2Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.3Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!4For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.5For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.6Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.7Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!8Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!9Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!10Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;12let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy13before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
Gospel: John 1.1-18
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2He was in the beginning with God.3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.15(John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")16And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.18No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Sermon
In today's readings, we delve into themes of truth, light, and the divine nature of Jesus Christ. The First Reading from 1 John 2:18-21 addresses the community amid the challenges of the end times, warning of the arrival of antichrists and reassuring the faithful of their secure position in the truth. The Gospel, John 1:1-18, presents the eternal Word, Jesus, who is both the source of creation and the incarnation of God's glory. This prologue contrasts the light of Jesus with the darkness of the world, emphasizing His role as the true Light that illuminates all humanity.
These readings are deeply connected, as they both emphasize the importance of recognizing and clinging to the truth. 1 John highlights the departure of false believers, underscoring the stability of God's truth for the faithful. John's Gospel establishes Jesus as the embodiment of this truth, the Word who brings life and light. Together, they remind us that in a world filled with darkness and falsehood, Jesus is the source of true light and understanding.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are called to discern truth from falsehood and remain steadfast in our faith. As children of God, we are transformed by our belief in Jesus, who offers us grace and truth. The moral lesson here is the enduring nature of God's truth and the transformative power of faith in Jesus. Let us embrace this truth, allowing it to guide us in our journey, and reflect the light of Christ in our world.