Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 27, 2022
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 nature of faith, fellowship, and the tangible presence of God in our lives. In the first reading from 1 John, the Apostle testifies to the reality of the Word of Life, whom he has seen, heard, and touched. John emphasizes that this Life, who is Jesus Christ, has been made manifest to us. He writes so that we might share in the joy of fellowship with God and with one another. This passage reminds us that our faith is not based on abstract ideas but on the concrete, historical revelation of God in Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel, we witness the dramatic scene of the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene alerts Peter and the beloved disciple, who rush to the tomb. The beloved disciple arrives first, sees the linens, and believes. This moment marks a turning point in the disciples' understanding of Jesus' resurrection. The empty tomb is not just a historical event but a sign that speaks to us today. It reminds us that faith often begins with seeing and experiencing, but it deepens as we reflect on the signs God has given us.
These readings encourage us to seek a deeper fellowship with God and with one another, just as John desired for his readers. Like the beloved disciple, we are called to approach the "tomb" of our own doubts and fears, to see the evidence of God's love, and to believe. In our daily lives, we can apply this by being open to the ways God reveals Himself to us—through Scripture, prayer, and the sacraments. Let us allow the joy of this fellowship to overflow into our lives, transforming us and drawing others into the love of Christ.