Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 27, 2021
First Reading: 1 John 1.1-4
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.4We write this to make our joy complete.
Psalm 97
1The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.2Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.3Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side.4His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.5The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.6The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.7All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols- worship him, all you gods!8Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O LORD.9For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.10Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.12Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.
Gospel: John 20.2-8
2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of the resurrection and the gift of faith. In the first reading from 1 John, we hear a beautiful testimony to the Word of Life. John writes of the eternal life that has been revealed in Jesus Christ, emphasizing the tangible experience of encountering the risen Lord. He speaks of seeing, hearing, and touching the Word of Life, and he invites us to share in this fellowship with the Father and the Son. This passage reminds us that our faith is rooted in the eyewitness accounts of those who walked with Jesus and witnessed His resurrection.
The Gospel from John 20 brings us to the empty tomb, where the disciples encounter the reality of the resurrection. Mary Magdalene’s distress at finding the tomb empty gives way to the disciples’ curiosity and faith. The beloved disciple, upon seeing the linens and the cloth folded separately, believes. This moment is a powerful reminder that faith often begins with doubt or uncertainty but can lead to profound trust in God’s plan. The empty tomb is not just a historical event but a symbol of the new life offered to us through Christ’s resurrection.
These readings call us to embrace our role as witnesses to the resurrection in our own lives. Just as John testified to the Word of Life and the disciples believed at the empty tomb, we are called to share the joy of the Gospel with others. In a world often filled with doubt and fear, we are invited to be bearers of hope and light. Let us ask ourselves: How do we share the Good News in our daily lives? How do we allow the resurrection to transform our relationships, our struggles, and our joys? May we, like the disciples, find the courage to believe and the grace to proclaim the eternal life that has been revealed to us in Jesus Christ.