Daily readings

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Saints Fabian, Pope, and Sebastian, Martyrs. Ordinary Time. Read the day's readings in one place for prayer, preparation, or quiet reflection.

CelebrationSaints Fabian, Pope, and Sebastian, Martyrs

TypeOptional Memorial

SeasonOrdinary Time

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.

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 20, 2026?

The Catholic Mass readings for Tuesday January 20, 2026 are gathered on this page in their proper order: first reading 1 Samuel 16:1-13, psalm Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28, no second reading is appointed for this Mass,and Gospel Mark 2:23-28.

What is the Gospel for Tuesday January 20, 2026?

The Gospel for Tuesday January 20, 2026 is Mark 2:23-28. It appears below with the rest of the day's Catholic readings.

What is the Psalm for Tuesday January 20, 2026?

The psalm for Tuesday January 20, 2026 is Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28. 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 20, 2026?

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

1

First Reading

1 Samuel 16:1-13

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.

16:1And the Lord said to Samuel. How It long will you mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? fill your horn with oil, and come, that I may send you to Isai the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

2And Samuel said: How shall I go? for Saul will hear of it, and he will kill me. And the Lord said: You shall take with you a calf of the herd, and you shall say: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

3And you shall call Isai to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do, and you shall anoint him whom I shall show to you.

4Then Samuel did as the Lord had said to him. And he came to Bethlehem, and the leaders of the city wondered, and meeting him, they said: Is your coming here peaceable?

5And he said: It is peaceable: I am come to offer sacrifice to the Lord, be you sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6And when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the Lord's anointed before him?

7And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his face, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.

8And Isai called Abinadab, and brought him before Samuel. And he said: Neither has the Lord chosen this.

9And Isai brought Samma, and he said of him: Neither has the Lord chosen this.

10Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel: and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord has not chosen any one of these.

11And Samuel said to Isai: Are here all your sons? He answered: There remaineth yet a young one, who keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come here.

12He sent therefore and brought him Now he was ruddy and beautiful to look, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he.

13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers and sisters: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.

2

Psalm

Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28

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.

89:20Then you spokest in a vision to your saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.

21I have found David my servant: with my holy oil I have anointed him.

22For my hand shall help him: and my arm shall strengthen him.

27He shall cry out to me: You are my father: my God, and the support of my salvation.

28And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth.

3

Gospel

Mark 2:23-28

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.

2:23And it happened again, as the Lord walked through the corn fields on the sabbath, that his disciples began to go forward, and to pluck the ears of corn.

24And the Pharisees said to him: Look, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

25And he said to them: Have you never read what David did when he had need, and was hungry himself, and those who were with him?

26How he went into the house of God, under Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the bread of proposition, which was not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave to them who were with him?

27And he said to them: The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.

28Therefore the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath also.

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.

1

First Reading

1 Samuel 16:1-13

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.

2

Psalm

Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28

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.

3

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.

4

Gospel

Mark 2:23-28

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.

5

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 20, 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.

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.