Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection December 31, 2025
Wednesday – 7th day in Christmas Octave
31st December 2025 (Wednesday)
Psalter: Proper
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 John 2:18-21
Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, 13 R. (11a)
R/. Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us to all who did receive him, he gave the right to become children of God.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: John 1:1-18
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Wednesday – 7th day in Christmas Octave
Main Point: Last hour but not lost! Indicative: We are at the end of the current year and the threshold of a new year. This shall not be a time of remorse and regret, nor shall it be a time of fear and cynicality
1. We are on the last day of 2025 and toward the beginning of 2026. This is a contrast: the “last” and the “beginning”. In fact, we have this dialectic in today’s readings. In the first reading, we have the mention of the “last hour”, and then in the gospel, we have the mention of the “beginning”.
2. This contrast can indicate to us what we should resolve in these last hours for the coming year. As the first reading states, surely in our times too, “many antichrists have come”. Many who have been with us, went out of us. It does not refer merely to human relationships and friendships. This is mainly a matter of clinging to a genuine relationship with God and others. It is a matter of being faithful to godly and humane values.
3. The last hour refers to a constant existential situation of struggle and battle between the godly and the ungodly, the spiritual and the unspiritual, and the new and the old. Therefore, end the old year with a sincere review and evaluation of our fidelity to Christ. Have we been on the side of Christ? Have we tended to fall among antichrists?
4. In the light of this healthy self-check, we need to resolve to “begin anew”. Start afresh. We remind ourselves that we start the new year with Christ born for us. We have his light that will illumine our whole journey, all our paths.
5. Let one thought continue to stir and guide us: Am I, are we – For Christ, or against Christ? In Christ or out of Christ? Near to Christ or Far from Christ? Lighted by Christ? Darkened without Christ? Born of Christ or dead, away from Christ? Anointed by Christ or tainted by the evil one? Knowing Christ or Ignorant of Christ? Experiencing Christ or being indifferent to Christ?
My Practice: He was in the world but the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. He is in me and amid us. But do I know and receive him?
