Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 28, 2025
First Reading: Sirach 3.2-6, 12-14
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Psalm 128
1Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.2You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.4Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.5May the LORD bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,6and may you live to see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.
Second Reading: Colossians 3.12-17
12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Gospel: Matthew 2.13-15, 19-23
13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."14So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."19After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt20and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."21So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,23and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."
Sermon
Today's readings invite us to reflect on our responsibilities within the family and the wider Christian community, and on the profound implications of our obedience to God's will. Sirach calls us to honor our parents, particularly our fathers, reminding us that God Himself has elevated their position, and that supporting them in their old age brings happiness and ensures our prayers are heard. This ancient wisdom provides a foundation for the virtues Paul exhorts the Colossians to "clothe themselves" with: hearts of mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, patience, and above all, charity. These qualities are not merely suggestions but the very fabric of life for God's elect, binding us together in peace and enabling us to forgive one another as the Lord has forgiven us. Living this way, with Christ's word dwelling richly within us, ensures that everything we do, in word or deed, gives thanks to God the Father through Jesus.
The Gospel perfectly illustrates these principles through the actions of St. Joseph. Faced with grave danger to the Child Jesus from Herod, Joseph, without question or delay, rises in the night and flees with Mary and Jesus to Egypt, later returning to Nazareth under divine guidance. His prompt, unwavering obedience to the angel's instructions in his dreams embodies the humility, trust, and selfless love described in Colossians. Joseph’s quiet strength and protective spirit are a testament to honoring his divine son and foster-wife, providing for their safety and well-being, much like Sirach's advice to care for one's parents. He sets an example of how true fatherhood, indeed any Christian life, is lived through attentive listening to God and courageous action, even when it means disrupting our plans and facing uncertainty.
These readings collectively challenge us to examine our own lives. Are we truly honoring those God has placed in our care, whether our parents, our children, or our brothers and sisters in Christ, by embodying the virtues of mercy, kindness, and patience? Do we, like Joseph, listen for God's guidance in our daily lives, and are we ready to respond with immediate and faithful obedience, even when it demands sacrifice? Let us strive to live each day clothed in charity, allowing the peace of Christ to rule our hearts, and doing all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, confident that in doing so, we fulfill His divine plan for our lives and the lives of those around us.