Mass Readings
Liturgical Readings for : Sunday, 25th January, 2026Léachtaí Gaeilge
Next Sunday’s Readings
– 25th Jan 2026 –
Third Sunday of Ordinary Time: Year A ; St Matthew
Sunday of the Word of God
Catholic Schools Week begins today.
The semi-continuous reading of St Matthew’s Gospel begins this Sunday and deals with the call of the first disciples by Jesus. The scriptures are fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus. His call to repentance is urgent because the Kingdom of heaven is close at hand.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah 8:23-9:3
In Galilee of the nations the people have seen a great light.
In days past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in days to come he will confer glory on the Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, province of the nations.
on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that was weighing on him, the bar across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor, these you break as on the day of Midian.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 26:1, 4, 13-14. R/v 1
Response The Lord is my light and my help.
1. The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? Response
2. There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple. Response
3. I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord! Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to Corinthians 1:10-13. 17
Make up the difference between you instead of disagreeing among yourselves.
I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe’s people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: ‘I am for Paul,’ ‘I am for Apollos,’ ‘I am for Cephas,’ ‘I am for Christ’. Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation Mt 4:23
Alleluia, alleluia!
Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom,
and cured all kinds of sickness among the people.
Alleluia!
or Jn 1:14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens!
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 4:12-23 Glory to you, O Lord
Jesus went and settled in Capernaum: in this way the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled.
Hearing that John had been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled: ‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message,
‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogue proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds diseases and sickness among the people.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
************************************************
Shorter form of the GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 4:12-23
Theme: Jesus went and settled in Capernaum: in this way the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled
Hearing that John had been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee, 
‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand’.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
________________________________
The scripture readings are taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with permission of the publishers.
For homily resources for this Sunday’s Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/
_______________________________________________