DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

JANUARY 3, 2024

WEDNESDAY - CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS)

FIRST READING

1 JOHN 2:29-3:6 OR (PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11 / PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11)

29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. 3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 97(98):1, 3-6 OR (PSALMS 8:4-9 / PSALMS 113:1-8)

Response: All the ends of the earth have see the saving power of God.

O sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have gotten him victory.

R. All the ends of the earth have see the saving power of God.

He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

R. All the ends of the earth have see the saving power of God.

Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

R. All the ends of the earth have see the saving power of God.
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GOSPEL

Behold the Lamb of God!

JOHN 1:29-34 OR (LUKE 2:21-24 / MATTHEW 1:18-23)

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

John points to Jesus' saving mission, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"No longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom the preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But now he who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world, that he might overturn the destroyer of the earth, that dying for all he might annihilate death, that he might undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father, one for all, that he might subject all to God."

(excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.