Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 5, 2026
First Reading: 1 John 3.22 – 4.6
22And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.24And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Psalm 2
1Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,3Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.4He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.5Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.7I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.10Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.11Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Gospel: Matthew 4.12-17, 23-25
12Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;13And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:14That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,15The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;16The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.17From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.24And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond 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.