30 December 2025 (Tuesday) / 6th day within the octave of Christmas / Christmas Weekday / The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

30 December 2025 (Tuesday)

6th day within the octave of Christmas.

Christmas Weekday / The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: First John 2: 12-17
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 96: 7-10
Gospel: Luke 2: 36-40

First Reading : 1 John 2:12‐17

I am writing to you, my own children, whose sins have already been forgiven through his name; I am writing to you, fathers, who have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning; I am writing to you, young men, who have already overcome the Evil One; I have written to you, children, because you already know the Father; I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning; I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and God’s word has made its home in you, and you have overcome the Evil One. You must not love this passing world or anything that is in the world. The love of the Father cannot be in any man who loves the world, because nothing the world has to offer – the sensual body, the lustful eye, pride in possessions – could ever come from the Father but only from the world; and the world, with all it craves for, is coming to an end; but anyone who does the will of God remains for ever.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 95(96):7‐10

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
  give the Lord glory and power;
  give the Lord the glory of his name.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Bring an offering and enter his courts,
  worship the Lord in his temple.
  O earth, tremble before him.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
  The world he made firm in its place;
  he will judge the peoples in fairness.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.

Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord. Today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 2:36‐40

There was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty‐four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him. 

For our reflection today:

The narrative recounts that when Mary and Joseph “had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew” — the Gospel says — “and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him” (vv. 39-40). Children’s growth is a great joy for the family, we all know it. They are destined to grow and become strong, to acquire knowledge and receive the grace of God, just as happened to Jesus. He is truly one of us: the Son of God becomes a child, agrees to grow, to become strong; he is filled with knowledge, and the grace of God is upon him. Mary and Joseph have the joy of seeing all this in their son; and this is the mission to which the family is directed: to create conditions favourable to the harmonious and full growth of its children, so they may live a good life, worthy of God and constructive for the world. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 31 December 2017)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)