A Catholic guide for saints, prayer, and practical devotional reading.
Lucy. Advent. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.
The Roman Catholic readings for this date are shown below on-site. Use plain reading mode if you want clearer modern wording, or switch back to the original Douay-Rheims wording at any time.
On-site scripture text: Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. Plain mode is a built-in reading aid that modernizes older wording for easier understanding while keeping the same Roman Catholic reading references for the day.
Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.
Full on-site text is not available for this reference yet, so use the reference above and the official link below.
Psalm 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19
The psalm is meant to be prayed, not rushed. If the wording feels older, focus on the main movement of the prayer: trust, praise, sorrow, gratitude, or hope.
15Turn again, OH God of hosts, look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard:
16And perfect the same which your right hand has planted: and upon the Son of Man whom you have confirmed for yourself.
18Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand: and upon the Son of Man whom you have confirmed for yourself.
19And we depart not from you, you shall quicken us: and we will call upon your name.
Matthew 17:9a, 10-13
The Gospel is the center of the reading set. Pay close attention to what Jesus says, what Jesus does, and what response he is asking for.
10And his disciples asked him, saying: Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elias must come first?
11But he answering, said to them: Elias indeed shall come, and restore all things.
12But I say to you, that Elias is already come, and they knew him not, but have done to him whatever they had a mind. So also the Son of Man shall suffer from them.
13Then the disciples understood, that he had said to them of John the Baptist.
This page uses the Catholic Readings API for the day's references and liturgical celebration data, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from the public-domain Douay-Rheims Bible distributed through the Open Bibles project.