10 January 2026 (Saturday) / Christmas Weekday / Saturday after Epiphany

10 January 2026 (Saturday)

Christmas Weekday / Saturday after Epiphany.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: First John 5: 14-21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 149: 1-2, 3-4, 5 and 6 and 9
Alleluia: Matthew 4: 16
Gospel: John 3: 22-30

First Reading: First John 5: 14-21

14 And this is the confidence which we have towards him: That, whatsoever we shall ask according to his will, he heareth us.
15 And we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask: we know that we have the petitions which we request of him.
16 He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death: for that I say not that any man ask.
17 All iniquity is sin. And there is a sin unto death.
18 We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not: but the generation of God preserveth him, and the wicked one toucheth him not.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is seated in wickedness.
20 And we know that the Son of God is come: and he hath given us understanding that we may know the true God, and may be in his true Son. This is the true God and life eternal.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 149: 1-2, 3-4, 5 and 6 and 9

R. (4) The Lord takes delight in his people.
or
R. Alleluia.
1 Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or
R. Alleluia.
3 Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
4 For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or
R. Alleluia.
5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
6 The high praise of God shall be in their mouth.
9 This glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia: Matthew 4: 16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
16 The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: John 3: 22-30

22 After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea: and there he abode with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Ennon near Salim; because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized.
24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
25 And there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews concerning purification:
26 And they came to John, and said to him: Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou gavest testimony, behold he baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27 John answered, and said: A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given him from heaven.
28 You yourselves do bear me witness, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

For our reflection today:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v. 17). This is the main message of all Jesus’ sermons: to tell us that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. What does this mean? The kingdom of heaven means the reign of God, that is, the way in which God reigns through his relationship with us. Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, that God is near. Here is the novelty, the first message: God is not far from us. The One who dwells in heaven has come down to earth; he became man. He has torn down walls and shortened distances. We ourselves did not deserve this: he came down to meet us. Now this nearness of God to his people is one of the ways he has done things since the beginning, even of the Old Testament. He said to his people: “Imagine: what nation has its gods so near to it as I am near to you?” (cf. Dt 4:7). And this nearness became flesh in Jesus. (Pope Francis, Homily, Sunday of the Word of God, 26 January 2020)

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