Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection January 05, 2026

05th January 2026 (Monday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: 1 John 3:22–4:6

Beloved: Whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Psalm 2:7bc-8, 10-12a R. (8ab)

R/. I will give you the nations as your inheritance

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Jesus was proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people

R/. Alleluia

Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

At that time: When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Monday – After Epiphany

Main Point: The real test of fidelity is to follow the commandment of God, and the real commandment is to believe him and follow what he commands, and that concretely in loving others

1. We are just after the Epiphany, the celebration of God’s revelation or manifestation. The visit of the three magi symbolically reveals God’s salvation and glory is open to all, cutting across the boundaries.

2. Jesus begins this mission of manifestation in word and deed, in preaching and healing. He preaches announcing the coming of the Kingdom and inviting to repent. “Repent and believe in the gospel, for the kingdom of God is near”.

3. This was the first proclamation of Jesus. This nearness of the kingdom is seen in Jesus’ ministry of preaching and healing. Jesus ceaselessly preaches the good news of love and comfort of God, and tirelessly heals the sick of various sorts.

4. Thus he confirms this nearness of the Kingdom and the sign of conversion in his healing ministry. From our part, we need to constantly manifest our belonging to God and His kingdom, through our listening, our contrast to the world, our repenting, our believing and our getting healed.

5. To receive and experience such a vicinity of God’s kingdom through God’s Word and action, one must repent and believe. True repentance is when one deeply feels anguished at his sinfulness and turns away from it. True believing is to turn to God, to trust Him and be loyal to Him.

6. This calls us to belong to God, to live as people of God and not of the world; to resist and reject the spirit of antichrist; to abide in him; to live and foster the truth; to keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

My Practice: Repentance is the fundamental requisite of a true follower of Christ. This is manifested and authenticated in a twofold mission: to listen to God’s word and to transmit the same; to be healed by the Lord and to heal others through devotion and benevolence