Daily readings

Thursday, December 3, 2026

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest. Advent. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.

CelebrationSaint Francis Xavier, Priest

TypeMemorial

SeasonAdvent

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.

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.

1

First Reading

Isaiah 26:1-6

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.

1In that day shall this canticle be sung the land of Juda. Sion the city of our strength a saviour, a wall and a bulwark shall be set in it.

2Open you the gates, and let the righteous nation, that keepeth the truth, enter in.

3The old error is passed away: you will keep peace: peace, because we have hoped in you.

4You have hoped in the Lord for evermore, in the Lord God mighty forever.

5For he shall bring down them that dwell on high, the high city he shall lay low. He shall bring it down even to the ground, he shall pull it down even to the dust.

6The foot shall tread it down, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.

2

Psalm

Psalm 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a

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.

19Open you to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and give praise to the Lord.

20This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it.

21I will give glory to you because you have heard me: and art become my salvation.

3

Gospel

Matthew 7:21, 24-27

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.

21Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

24Every one therefore that hears these my words, and does them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock,

25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.

26And every one that hears these my words, and does them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand,

27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.

Source note

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.