Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 27, 2023
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 Christ’s resurrection and the gift of life that flows from it. In the first reading from 1 John, we hear a beautiful testimony to the Word of Life—Jesus Christ—who has been revealed to us. John emphasizes that this life is not a distant or abstract concept but something tangible and personal, something we can see, hear, and even touch. He invites us to share in this divine life by entering into fellowship with God and with one another. This fellowship is the very source of our joy, and it is through this communion that we experience the fullness of life.
In the Gospel, we witness the dramatic moment when Peter and the other disciple discover the empty tomb. The details of the scene—the linen cloths lying flat, the separate cloth folded apart—are signs that speak of something extraordinary. The disciple who arrives first sees and believes, not just in the absence of Jesus’ body, but in the reality of his resurrection. This moment marks a turning point, as the disciples begin to understand that Jesus’ promise of eternal life is not a distant hope but a present reality. The empty tomb is not just a sign of absence but a testament to the power of God, who has overcome death itself.
These readings remind us that faith is rooted in testimony and experience. Just as the disciples were called to witness the empty tomb, we too are called to bear witness to the risen Christ in our lives. This means living with hope, trusting in God’s plan even when the path is uncertain, and sharing the joy of the Gospel with others. Let us allow the resurrection to transform us, to fill us with the same joy and wonder that filled the hearts of the disciples. May we, like John, proclaim the Word of Life to a world in need, and may our fellowship with God and with one another be the source of our strength and our joy.