Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 8, 2026
Psalm 72
1Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.5They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.6He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.15And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.16There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.17His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.18Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.19And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.20The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
Gospel: Luke 4.14-22a
14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.15And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.17And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
Sermon
In today's Gospel, we witness Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returning to Galilee to begin his public ministry. His fame quickly spreads as he teaches in the synagogues. Significantly, he journeys to Nazareth, his hometown, and on the Sabbath, he enters the synagogue according to his custom. There, he is handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, from which he reads a pivotal passage: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." After rolling up the scroll, he declares to the astonished congregation, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
This moment in Nazareth is not merely a reading; it is a profound declaration of Jesus' identity and the very heart of his mission. He reveals himself as the long-awaited Messiah, announcing the inauguration of God's kingdom of justice, healing, and liberation for all, with a special focus on the poor, the captive, the blind, and the oppressed. The initial wonder of the people at his gracious words, quickly followed by the questioning, "Is this not Joseph's son?" underscores the challenge of recognizing the divine in the familiar, a struggle that often mirrors our own in daily life. Are we truly attentive to Christ's message, or do our preconceived notions prevent us from fully embracing the radical newness he brings?
The fulfillment of this scripture in our hearing today is a personal call to us. Just as Jesus was anointed by the Spirit to bring good news, we too are called to be agents of God's grace in the world. This means actively seeking out opportunities to embody his mission: offering compassion to those in need, advocating for the marginalized, and working for justice and peace in our communities. Each day presents a chance to make Christ's redemptive work present through our words and actions, bringing hope and liberation to those around us, and truly living out the acceptable year of the Lord in our time.