Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 31, 2021
First Reading: 1 John 2.18-21
18Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.20But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.21I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.
Psalm 96
1Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.2Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.3Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.4For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.5For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.6Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.7Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.8Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.9Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.10Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.11Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it;12let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;13they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.
Gospel: John 1.1-18
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2He was with God in the beginning.3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4In him was life, and that life was the light of men.5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'"16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are presented with profound reflections on truth, light, and the nature of God. The first reading from 1 John warns us about the presence of antichrists, false teachers who lead others astray. John reassures us that we have the anointing of the Holy One, granting us the knowledge of the truth, and urges us to remain steadfast in our faith. The Gospel from John, known as the prologue, beautifully describes Jesus as the Word, who is with God and is God. It emphasizes Jesus as the source of life and light, who came into the world but was not recognized by His own. Those who accept Him become children of God, born of the Spirit.
These readings, though distinct, are deeply connected. The first reading from 1 John serves as a warning against false teachings, while the Gospel provides the foundation of our truth in Jesus Christ. Together, they highlight the contrast between truth and falsehood, light and darkness. John's Gospel reminds us that Jesus is the true light, illuminating every person, and it is through Him that we receive grace and truth.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to discern truth amidst conflicting ideas and to remain faithful. They encourage us to recognize and hold onto the light of Christ, even when surrounded by darkness. The moral lesson here is the importance of spiritual discernment and steadfastness in our faith. As we navigate the world, may we rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance, staying grounded in the truth of Jesus Christ. Let us embrace the grace and truth He brings, living authentically as children of God, born of the Spirit.