Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection December 22, 2025

22nd December 2025 (Monday)

Psalter: Week 4

Readings of the Day

First Reading: 1 Samuel 1:24-28

And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd R. (see 1a)

R/. My heart exults in the Lord, my Saviour

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. O King of all nations and keystone of the Church; come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: Luke 1:46-56

At that time: Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Monday – Fourth Week of Advent

Main Point: In a joy-hungry world, God wants to send us streams of joy to satisfy us to the full. Truly it is a “Joy-filling” mission

1. In today’s gospel, we have the famous Magnificat of Mary. At a first glance, Magnificat is a hymn of praise and joy. Mary bursts into an exuberant spirit of rejoicing. This joy is not ordinary happiness over some positive, pleasant experience. It is not because of some temporary, temporal gain.

2. The joy of Mary is something profound. It is deeply spiritual. It is an effect, an outflow of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing self-directed but singing God’s glory and power, benevolence and justice.

3. The expressions, “My soul… my spirit”, “all generations will call me ‘blessed’”, and “the Almighty has done great things for me” may look as if she is drawing our attention to her blessedness and greatness.

4. But it is all directed to God. The focus is not on how great she is but on how great God is. What is to be in the limelight is not she but God. “God is great and therefore He made her great”.

5. Her humble surrender leads to the joy of the Holy Spirit. The cause of this joy is not some individual favours. It is essentially God’s benevolence and justice. Mary sings joyfully because she sees and experiences God’s way of acting. He raises the lowly but lowers the mighty, He fills the hungry but sends the rich away empty.

6. Thus, true joy must be based on justice and mercy and not any other passing or peripheral satisfaction and gain. Any faith that does not contain faith and humility, mercy and justice, is not a true joy.

My Practice: Our faith must lead us to true joy. And true joy is not being satisfied with some individual favours. Rather it should commit us to a life of justice and liberation.