Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection January 03, 2025

03rd January 2025 (Friday)

Psalter: Week 1

Readings of the Day

First Reading: 1 John 2:29-3:6

If you consider that God is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him. See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him.

Psalm 98:1, 3cd-4, 5-6 (R. 3cd)

R/. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted him he gave power to become the children of God.

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel: John 1:29-28

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Friday – Before Epiphany

Guidelines: Those who know and experience God will see Him. Those who see Him will become like Him. Those who become like Him will testify about Him.

1. John the Baptist recognizes and declares Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” He identifies Him as the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and bears witness to Him as the Lord and Master.

2. Today, we are also called by God to be living witnesses of His presence. We must know Him personally and see Him in our lives. We are called to be “lights to the nations,” revealing the Lord and leading others to Him.

3. Knowing God is not just about intellect. Seeing God is not limited to perception or experience. The world often prides itself on vast knowledge, but true wisdom is knowing God. The greatest knowledge of God comes from a deep, intimate relationship with Him.

4. Any knowledge that distances us from God, leads to sin, or fails to reflect His love and power is empty and harmful. Our ability to testify about God depends on how well we know Him, see Him in our lives, and commit to showing Him to others.

5. This calls for a close and personal bond with God, an unbreakable relationship rooted in intimacy. Such a connection keeps us firmly grounded in God and fiercely loyal to Him.

6. It also drives us to accompany others, guiding and enlightening them. Our mission is to help them develop the same deep relationship with God that we have. This commitment goes beyond personal closeness with God.

7. It involves following His ways and living by His values. This means rejecting sin, living as righteous children of God, and bearing witness to Him through our lives, just like John the Baptist did.

Practice: Let us not take pride in the amount of knowledge we possess but focus on living upright lives. The closer we are to God, the more we will reflect His presence and likeness.