Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 4, 2019
First Reading: 1 John 3.7-10
7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Psalm 98
1O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.2The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.3He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.4Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.5Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.6With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.7Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.8Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together9Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Gospel: John 1.35-42
35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!37And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.38Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?39He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.40One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on our identity as children of God and our response to His call in our lives. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that those who are born of God do not sin because God’s seed abides in them. This passage emphasizes the importance of living justly and loving one another, for it is through these actions that we manifest our true identity as sons and daughters of God. The apostle John encourages us to avoid deception and to remain steadfast in our commitment to justice and love, which are the hallmarks of a life lived in God.
In the Gospel, we see the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry as two disciples of John the Baptist encounter the Messiah. Their immediate response to follow Jesus and their eagerness to share this discovery with others—like Andrew bringing his brother Peter—demonstrate the transformative power of encountering Christ. This passage highlights the importance of openness to God’s call and the urgency of sharing the Good News with others. Just as Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, we too are called to lead others to Him through our words and actions.
These readings remind us that our faith is not meant to be static or private. As children of God, we are called to live lives of integrity and love, and to actively share the joy of knowing Christ with others. Let us ask ourselves: Am I living in a way that reflects my identity as a child of God? Am I open to following Jesus wherever He leads? And am I eager to bring others to Him? May we, like the disciples, respond with faith and enthusiasm to God’s call, and may our lives bear witness to the transformative power of His love.