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Mass Readings

Sunday, December 26, 2027

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Feast · Christmas Time · Cycle C · Year II · White

Reading I

Sir 3:3-7, 14-17a

or 1 Sam 1:20-22, 24-28

For God hath made the father honourable to the children: and seeking the judgment of the mothers, hath confirmed it upon the children.

He that loveth God, shall obtain pardon for his sins by prayer, and shall refrain himself from them, and shall be heard in the prayer of days.

And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up a treasure.

He that honoureth his father shall have joy in his own children, and in the day of his prayer he shall be heard.

He that honoureth his father shall enjoy a long life: and he that obeyeth the father, shall be a comfort to his mother.

Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life;

And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength: for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten.

For good shall be repaid to thee for the sin of thy mother.

And in justice thou shalt be built up, and in the day of affliction thou shalt be remembered: and thy sins shall melt away as the ice in the fair warm weather.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

or Ps 84:2-3, 5-6, 9-10

A gradual canticle. Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house. Thy children as olive plants, round about thy table.

Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

May the Lord bless thee out of Sion: and mayst thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Reading II

Col 3:12-21

or Col 3:12-17; or 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24

Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:

Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another. Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also.

But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly: in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God.

All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as it behoveth in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter towards them.

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing to the Lord.

Fathers, provoke not your children to indignation, lest they be discouraged.

Gospel Acclamation

Col 3:15a+16a

or cf. Acts 16:14b

And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly: in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God.

Gospel

Luke 2:41-52

And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the pasch.

And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast,

And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents knew it not.

And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance.

And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him.

And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions.

And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers.

And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my father's business?

And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them.

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart.

And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and men.

About These Readings

Scripture text from the Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision, 1899), which is in the public domain. The Mass readings follow the Lectionary for Mass approved for the dioceses of the United States.

The Douay-Rheims follows the Vulgate numbering, which in the Psalms, Sirach, and a few other books can differ by a chapter or a few verses from the numbering in the modern Lectionary. The text is the same passage.

Read them at the USCCB ↗