Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 10, 2026
First Reading: 1 John 5.14-21
14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.15And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.16If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.17All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.18We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.19We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.20We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.21Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Psalm 149
1Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.2Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.3Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.4For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.5Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.6May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,7to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,8to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,9to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.
Gospel: John 3.22-30
22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.23Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized.24(This was before John was put in prison.)25An argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.26They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan--the one you testified about--well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him."27To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.28You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.'29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.30He must become greater; I must become less.
Sermon
In our first reading from the Letter of John, we are reminded of the profound confidence we can have in our prayers, provided they are in accordance with God's will. It speaks of the grace available for our brothers and sisters who sin, urging us to intercede for them, while distinguishing between sins that lead to death and those that do not. Fundamentally, this passage reassures us of our identity as those born of God, preserved from the evil one, and given true understanding through the Son of God, warning us to guard against any form of false worship. This spiritual clarity and assurance of identity lay the groundwork for understanding the humility we witness in the Gospel.
The Gospel today presents John the Baptist at a pivotal moment. His disciples come to him, concerned that Jesus is now baptizing and drawing larger crowds. John’s response is a profound lesson in humility and divine perspective. He states that a man can receive nothing unless it is given to him from heaven, affirming his clear role as the forerunner who prepares the way, not the Christ himself. His joyous declaration, “He must increase, while I must decrease,” beautifully encapsulates his mission. Just as the friend of the groom rejoices at the groom’s voice, John finds his joy fulfilled in witnessing the emergence of the Messiah.
These readings profoundly challenge us to examine our own lives. Just as John the Baptist understood his role and humbly stepped aside so that Christ might be glorified, we too are called to decrease in our own self-importance, ambitions, and desires for worldly recognition, allowing Christ to increase within us and through our actions. Our confidence in prayer, as described in 1 John, stems from knowing the true God revealed by Jesus. This knowledge helps us align our will with His, ensuring that our lives, like John's, point towards Christ, preventing any form of false worship or seeking glory for ourselves. In our daily interactions, in our service, and in our very being, let us strive to echo John’s words, making room for Christ to be magnified, for it is in His increase that we find our true life and purpose.