Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 4, 2024
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
In today's readings, we first hear from 1 John, who reminds us that living justly and lovingly is a mark of being born of God. He distinguishes the children of God from the children of the devil through their actions, emphasizing that true followers of God do not sin and are driven by love and justice. In the Gospel, John the Baptist's disciples encounter Jesus, leading to Andrew bringing his brother Simon Peter to meet Him. This pivotal moment illustrates the power of personal invitation in spreading the Gospel.
The context of 1 John's letter is a call to early Christians to embody righteousness and love, contrasting the behaviors of those aligned with God versus those aligned with the devil. In the Gospel, John the Baptist's role as a precursor to Jesus highlights the transition from his ministry to Jesus', showing how the first disciples came to faith through personal encounters and invitations.
These readings connect through themes of identity and mission. 1 John focuses on living as children of God, while the Gospel shows this identity leading to action—sharing the Gospel with others. Andrew's eagerness to bring Peter to Jesus exemplifies how our faith should naturally lead us to invite others into a relationship with Christ.
In our daily lives, we are called to live justly and love unconditionally, reflecting our identity as God's children. Like Andrew, we should be open to sharing our faith, trusting that encounters with Jesus can transform lives. The moral lesson here is the importance of authentic faith and its active sharing, ensuring our actions and words bring others closer to God.