Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection January 09, 2025
Weekday Octave After Epiphany
09th January 2025 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 2
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 John 4:19-5:4
Beloved, we love God because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
Psalm 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17 (R. see 11)
R/. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 4:14-22
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Thursday – After Epiphany
Guidelines: To love God is to love His children. Loving God means following His commandment to love others.
1. In an evil-dominated world, we must live as God’s children. Loving God means overcoming evil and obeying His commandment to love others.
2. Loving others as God’s children reflects true faith. Claiming to love God while hating others is a contradiction.
3. St. John emphasizes this truth: we cannot love God, whom we cannot see, if we do not love our visible brothers and sisters.
4. Loving God leads to faith, guided by the Holy Spirit, and inspires us to serve others.
5. Jesus embodies this mission. He proclaims good news, brings liberty, restores sight, and shares God’s favor with all.
Practice: Being children of God calls for love and service. Our privilege as God’s children comes with the duty to reflect His love through selfless action.
