Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 5, 2026
First Reading: 1 John 3.22 – 4.6
22and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.23And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.24Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.5They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Psalm 2
1Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,3"Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us."4He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.5Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,6"As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."7I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you.8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.9You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."10Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Gospel: Matthew 4.12-17, 23-25
12Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.13And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,14so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:15"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--16the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned."17From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."23And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.24So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.25And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Sermon
Our Gospel today recounts the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, a pivotal moment where the Light of the World steps into the "land of Zebulun and Naphtali, Galilee of the Gentiles," a region long sitting in spiritual darkness and the shadow of death. From Capernaum, by the sea, Jesus begins to preach a message of urgent hope: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near." He doesn't just speak; he acts, healing every sickness and infirmity, demonstrating the tangible reality of God's kingdom breaking into the world. This active demonstration of divine love and power is the very light that dispels the darkness, drawing great crowds from all directions to witness and experience the presence of God.
The first reading from 1 John offers a vital key to understanding and discerning this divine light amidst the shadows of the world. It instructs us that keeping God's commandments—believing in Jesus Christ and loving one another—is the way we abide in Him and receive from Him. But it also issues a sober warning to "test the spirits," for many false prophets have gone out into the world. The distinguishing mark of a spirit from God, John explains, is its confession that Jesus Christ has arrived in the flesh. This central truth of the Incarnation is the bedrock of our faith and the ultimate test against the "spirit of error," which denies the full humanity of Christ and the reality of God's presence in the world. The Good News is that for those who are "of God," the Spirit within us is greater than any spirit in the world, empowering us to overcome falsehood and embrace truth.
Together, these readings call us to be discerning recipients and active participants in the Kingdom Jesus proclaims. Just as Jesus brought light and healing to a world in darkness, we are called to embody His light in our daily lives, particularly through our unwavering belief in Him and our love for one another. In a world often filled with conflicting messages and spiritual confusion, John's exhortation to "test the spirits" reminds us to anchor our faith in the truth of the Incarnate Christ. By doing so, and by heeding Jesus' call to repent and live out the Gospel, we allow the indwelling Spirit to guide us, transforming us into agents of His light and healing, making the Kingdom of Heaven present here and now for those still sitting in darkness.