Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 9, 2026
First Reading: 1 John 5.5-13
5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?6This is he who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.7For there are three that testify:8the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.9If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.10Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.11And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
Psalm 147
1Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.2The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.4He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.5Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.6The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!8He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.9He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.10His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,11but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.12Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!13For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.14He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.15He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.16He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.17He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?18He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.19He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.20He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the LORD!
Gospel: Luke 5.12-16
12While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."13And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him.14And he charged him to tell no one, but "go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them."15But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities.16But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Sermon
Today's first reading from 1 John reminds us that it is only through belief in Jesus as the Son of God that we overcome the world and receive the gift of eternal life. The Apostle emphasizes the divine testimony concerning Christ—by water and blood, and by the Spirit—affirming the truth of His identity and saving work. This divine assurance is far greater than any human word. In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter a powerful illustration of this truth as Jesus meets a man full of leprosy, a condition that brought not only physical suffering but also social and religious ostracization. With profound humility, the leper approaches Jesus, trusting in His power and willingness to cleanse him. And Jesus, full of compassion, extends His hand, touches him—an act that would make others unclean—and immediately restores him to health and wholeness.
Both readings, therefore, speak to the transformative power of Jesus Christ. While 1 John speaks of the spiritual victory over the world and the promise of eternal life through faith, Luke shows us a tangible demonstration of Christ's authority and boundless compassion. The physical cleansing of the leper, who was effectively dead to society, prefigures the spiritual cleansing from sin and the new life offered to all who believe. Just as the leper's healing served as a testimony for the priests, so too does God's testimony about His Son, received through faith, assure us of our salvation. Jesus' willingness to touch the untouchable demonstrates His desire to reach us in our own uncleanness, whatever our struggles or sins may be, and make us whole.
In our daily lives, we face various forms of "leprosy"—sins, anxieties, isolating fears, or despair that threaten to separate us from God and neighbor. Like the leper, we are called to approach Jesus with humble trust, believing in His unwavering willingness and power to cleanse and heal us. And as 1 John assures us, this belief is not in vain; it is the source of our victory and the foundation of our hope for eternal life. Let us also remember Jesus' example of withdrawing to pray after this powerful healing, reminding us that even amidst active service and overwhelming demands, our spiritual strength comes from constant communion with the Father. May our lives, touched and transformed by Christ, also become a living testimony to His enduring love and saving grace.