Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 3, 2026
First Reading: 1 John 2.29; 3.1-6
29If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.4Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.5But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Psalm 98
1Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.2The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.3He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.4Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;5make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,6with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn- shout for joy before the LORD, the King.7Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.8Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy;9let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Gospel: John 1.29-34
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Sermon
Today's first reading from the First Letter of John reminds us of the extraordinary gift of God's love: that we are called, and truly become, children of God. This profound identity carries a corresponding call to holiness and justice. If we know that God is just, then those who do what is just are born of Him. John emphasizes that everyone who lives with this hope in Christ keeps himself holy, because Christ Himself is holy. Sin, he explains, is iniquity, and Christ appeared precisely to take away our sins, for there is no sin in Him. To abide in Him means not to live in sin. This truth is beautifully complemented by John the Baptist's testimony in today's Gospel. He identifies Jesus as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world," confirming His divine mission and pre-existence, a mission inaugurated and witnessed by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Him.
These readings illuminate each other perfectly, showing us both our exalted status and the means by which it is achieved. The First Letter of John tells us *what* we are and *how* we should live as children of God—in holiness, free from sin—while the Gospel tells us *who* makes this possible: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. It is through Him that our sins are taken away, and it is in Him that we find the power to live righteously. This isn't merely a theological concept; it is a call to daily life. If we truly believe we are God's children, chosen and loved, then our actions must reflect this dignity. We are to strive for justice, to resist sin, and to continually turn to Christ for strength and forgiveness, knowing that He has already paid the price for our redemption.
Our hope in Christ is not a passive expectation, but an active principle that transforms our lives. To keep ourselves holy, just as He is holy, means making conscious choices each day that align with God's will and reflect His love to those around us. This profound identity as "sons and daughters of God" is not something we await, but a present reality that empowers us to overcome the challenges of sin and temptation. Let us therefore live each day with gratitude for this incredible gift, allowing the cleansing power of the Lamb of God to purify our hearts and guide our steps toward a life that truly manifests our divine sonship.