Daily readings

Friday, December 25, 2026

Christmas. Christmas. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.

CelebrationChristmas

TypeSolemnity

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.

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 52:7-10

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.

7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good news, and that preacheth peace: of him that shows forth good, that preacheth salvation, that says to Sion: Your God shall reign!

8The voice of your watchmen: they have lifted up their voice, they shah praise together: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall convert Sion

9Rejoice, and give praise together, OH you deserts of Jerusalem: for the Lord has comforted his people: he has rescued Jerusalem.

10The Lord has prepared his holy arm before all the Gentiles: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

2

Psalm

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6.

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.

1A psalm for David himself. Sing you to the Lord anew canticle: because he has done wonderful things. His right hand has wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.

2The Lord has made known his salvation: he has revealed his righteousness before the Gentiles.

3He has remembered his mercy his truth toward the people of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4Sing joyfully to God, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing.

3

Second Reading

Hebrews 1:1-6

How to read it

This reading often teaches Christians how to live with steadiness, charity, and faith. Look for one clear encouragement or warning you can carry into the day.

1God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all,

2In these days has said to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world.

3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sits on the right hand of the majesty on high.

4Being made so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they.

5For to which of the angels has he said at any time, You art my Son, to day have I begotten you? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

6And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he says: And let all the angels of God adore him.

4

Gospel

John 1:1-18

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.

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2The same was in the beginning with God.

3All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.

4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7This man came for a witness, to give teaching of the light, that all men might believe through him.

8He was not the light, but was to give teaching of the light.

9That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that comes into this world.

10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11He came to his own, and his own received him not.

12But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.

13Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15John beareth witness of him, and cries out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: The one who will come after me, is preferred before me: because he was before me.

16And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace.

17For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18No man has seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has told him.

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.