Daily readings

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Tuesday after Epiphany. Christmas. Read the day's readings in one place for prayer, preparation, or quiet reflection.

CelebrationTuesday after Epiphany

TypeWeekday

SeasonChristmas

Year2026 archive

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.

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Reading mode

Plain mode helps modern readers follow the text more easily.

The on-site reading text is drawn from public-domain Douay-Rheims sources. 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.

What are the Mass readings for Tuesday January 6, 2026?

The Catholic Mass readings for Tuesday January 6, 2026 are gathered on this page in their proper order: first reading 1 John 4:7-10, psalm Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, no second reading is appointed for this Mass,and Gospel Mark 6:34-44.

What is the Gospel for Tuesday January 6, 2026?

The Gospel for Tuesday January 6, 2026 is Mark 6:34-44. It appears below with the rest of the day's Catholic readings.

What is the Psalm for Tuesday January 6, 2026?

The psalm for Tuesday January 6, 2026 is Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8. It is included below in the same reading order used at Mass, between the first reading and the Gospel.

Are these the USCCB daily readings for Tuesday January 6, 2026?

The same day's Catholic readings are gathered here on-site, with the official readings link available below in the source note.

First Reading

1 John 4:7-10

How to approach it

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.

4:7Dearly beloved, let us love one another, for charity is of God. And every one that loves, is born of God, and knows God.

8He that loves not, knows not God: for God is charity.

9By this has the charity of God appeared towards us, because God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him.

10In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he has first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

Psalm

Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8

How to pray it

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.

72:1A psalm on Solomon.

2Give to the king your judgment, O God: and to the king's son your righteousness: To judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with judgment.

3Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills righteousness.

4He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor.

7In his days shall righteousness spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken sway.

8And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

Gospel

Mark 6:34-44

What to watch for

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.

6:34And Jesus going out saw a great crowd: and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

35And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past:

36Send them away, that going into the next villages and towns, they may buy themselves food to eat.

37And he answering said to them: Give you them to eat. And they said to him: Let us go and buy bread for two hundred pence, and we will give them to eat.

38And he says to them: How many bread have you? go and see. And when they knew, they say: Five, and two fishes

39And he commanded them that they should make them all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

40And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.

41And when he had taken the five bread, and the two fishes: looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the bread, and gave to his disciples to set before them: and the two fishes he divided among them all.

42And they all did eat, and had their fill.

43And they took up the leavings, twelve full baskets of fragments, and of the fishes.

44And those who did eat, were five thousand men.

How the readings move through Mass today

The Liturgy of the Word normally moves from the first reading to the psalm, then to the second reading when one is appointed, then to the Gospel, and then into the homily. On weekday Masses, the second reading is often omitted, so the Church moves from the psalm directly to the Gospel.

First Reading

1 John 4:7-10

The first reading is usually taken from the Old Testament. It prepares the heart to hear how God has been acting through his covenant and promises.

Psalm

Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8

The psalm is the Church’s prayerful response to the first reading. It helps the congregation answer God’s word with trust, praise, repentance, or hope.

Second Reading

Usually omitted today

There is no second reading at many weekday Masses. On days like this, the liturgy moves from the psalm directly to the Gospel.

Gospel

Mark 6:34-44

The Gospel is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word. Catholics stand because Christ himself speaks to his people in a special way through the Gospel proclamation.

Homily

After the Gospel

The homily follows the Gospel. It should gather the day’s readings together, explain the mystery being celebrated, and help people carry the word of God into ordinary life.

What the homily usually draws together

A Catholic homily usually gathers the first reading, the psalm, and the Gospel into one spiritual movement. It may explain how the Old Testament prepares for Christ, how the apostles witness to the risen Lord, how the psalm teaches the Church to pray, and how the Gospel calls for faith and conversion now.

If you are preparing before Mass, try to carry one sentence, one image, or one invitation from the readings with you. That usually makes the homily easier to follow because you already know what part of God's word has stayed with you.

What about the Prayers of the Faithful for Tuesday January 6, 2026?

The Prayers of the Faithful are usually written locally by a parish, diocese, or celebrant, so there is not always one universal text for this exact day. The scriptural readings above are the stable part the whole Church receives, and they usually shape the petitions that follow at Mass.

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Source note

The day's references and liturgical celebration data come from the Catholic Readings API, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from public-domain Douay-Rheims sources so the day's readings can be read directly on the page.