Daily readings

Monday, December 21, 2026

Saint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor. Advent. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.

CelebrationSaint Peter Canisius, Priest and Doctor

TypeOptional Memorial

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

Song of Songs 2:8-14

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.

8The voice of my beloved, look he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills.

9My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart. Look he stands behind our wall, looking through the windows, looking through the lattices.

10Look my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, hurry, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come.

11For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone.

12The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turtle is heard in our land:

13The fig tree has put forth her green figs: the vines in flower yield their sweet smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come:

14My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, show me your face, let your voice sound in my ears: for your voice is sweet, and your face comely.

2

Psalm

Psalm 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21

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.

2Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.

3Sing to him a new canticle, sing well to him with a loud noise.

11But the guidance of the Lord stands forever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he has chosen for his gift.

20Our soul waiteth for the Lord: for he is our helper and protector.

21For in him our heart shall rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted.

3

Gospel

Luke 1:39-45

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.

39And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.

40And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.

41And it happened, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was satisfied with the Holy Ghost:

42And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For look as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

45And blessed art you that have believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were said to you by the Lord.

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.