Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 31, 2025
First Reading: 1 John 2.18-21
18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
Psalm 96
1O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.2Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.3Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.4For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.5For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.6Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.7Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.8Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.9O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.10Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.12Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice13Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.
Gospel: John 1.1-18
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2The same was in the beginning with God.3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Sermon
Today's readings offer a profound understanding of who Christ is and how we are called to respond to Him. The Gospel of John opens with a majestic declaration of Jesus as the eternal Word of God, the creator of all, who became flesh and lived among us, bringing grace and truth. He is the true Light, illuminating humanity, and through Him, those who accept Him are empowered to become children of God. This divine truth provides the backdrop for the First Letter of John, which speaks of the "last hour" and the emergence of "antichrists" – those who deny essential truths about Christ and who have separated themselves from the believing community. John assures us that, despite these challenges, we possess the anointing of the Holy One, enabling us to know the truth.
These passages are deeply interconnected, presenting both the profound reality of Christ and the necessary discernment required of believers. John's prologue reveals the unshakeable foundation of our faith: Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, the source of life and light. When we grasp this truth, we are equipped to understand the warnings in the First Letter of John. The "antichrists" are those who reject this fundamental identity of Christ, denying the very Light that has come into the world. In our own lives, we are constantly faced with voices and ideologies that seek to diminish Christ or distort His message. Our anointing, given to us by the Holy Spirit, empowers us to recognize these falsehoods, drawing us back to the unwavering truth revealed in the Incarnate Word.
The call for us today is to embrace the Light that came into the world, allowing the Word to continually enlighten our understanding and guide our actions. By believing in His name, we live out our identity as children of God, born not of human will but of God Himself. This means living with integrity, constantly discerning what aligns with the grace and truth of Jesus Christ, and rejecting anything that seeks to undermine His divine person or His saving work. We are not left to flounder in darkness or ignorance; through our faith and the indwelling Spirit, we are given the wisdom to navigate the complexities of our world, remaining steadfast in the truth of who Christ is and what He calls us to be.