Catholic Doctrine and the Sunday Readings for December 2023

The meaning of the Sunday Mass Readings for December 2023 is made clearest by Catholic Doctrine. Let’s learn the doctrines supported in the Catechism of the Catholic Church by key verses from December’s Readings.[i] Doctrines are the Magisterium’s authoritative clarification of Revelation and Faith that must be accepted, in order to be Catholic, as objectively true and essentially unchanging. Doctrines are ontological facts; they describe reality.

As Cardinal Sarah has recently said,

Indeed, a true cacophony reigns today in the teachings of pastors: bishops and priests. They seem to contradict each other. Each one imposes his personal opinion as if it were a certainty. . . . [E]verything becomes confused; it is impossible to tell good from evil. . . . Dogma, doctrine, divine Revelation do not change at all.

December 3, First Sunday of Advent

The Readings in Advent have the theme of coming, which is what the word Advent means: both the First Coming of Christ when He was born of Mary and also the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time. Therefore verses from Advent’s Readings are cited in the Catechism to support doctrines about both the First Coming and the Second Coming.

Jesus’ warning to us to stay watchful until He comes again in glory at the end of history, in today’s Gospel, means that “[w]e are engaged in a spiritual battle” (CCC 2846[ii]) over whether to give in to temptation. “[V]ictory becomes possible only through prayer” (CCC 2849), which is why prayer is one of the four pillars of the Catholic Faith (CCC 13). While prayer should be very personal, it should never contradict Catholic Doctrine (CCC 2558).

• From the Gospel[iii] (Mark 13:33-37): Mk 13:33-37 is cited in CCC 672 and 2849.

December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

That Mary was “full of grace,” as Gabriel addresses her in today’s Gospel, means that Mary “was redeemed from the moment of her conception” (CCC 491). Mary was conceived immaculately – without Original Sin – and never committed personal sins (CCC 490-493). Mary is the only human one to be without sin. Jesus is also without sin, but He is not only human since he is both human and divine. “To become the mother of the Savior, Mary was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role” (CCC 490).

• From the First Reading (Genesis 3:9-15, 20): Gn 3:9-10 is cited in CCC 399; Gn 3:9 in CCC 410 and 2568; Gn 3:11 in CCC 2515; Gn 3:12 in CCC 1607; Gn 3:13 in CCC 1736 and 2568; Gn 3:15 in CCC 70, 410, and 489; and Gn 3:20 in CCC
• From the Second Reading (Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12): Eph 1:3-6 is cited in CCC 381 and 1077; Eph 1:3 in CCC 492 and 1671; Eph 1:4-5 in CCC 52 and 257; Eph 1:4 in CCC 492, 796, 865, 1426, and 2807; Eph 1:5-6 in CCC 294; Eph 1:6 in CCC 1083; Eph 1:7 in CCC 517 and 2839; Eph 1:9-11 in CCC 2823; and Eph 1:9 in CCC 257, 1066, 2603, and 2807.
• From the Gospel (Luke 1:26-38): Lk 1:26-38 is cited in CCC 497, 706, 723, and 2571; Lk 1:26-27 in CCC 488; Lk 1:26 in CCC 332; Lk 1:28-38 in CCC 494; Lk 1:28 in CCC 490 and 491; Lk 1:31 in CCC 430 and 2812; Lk 1:32-33 in CCC 709; Lk 1:32 in CCC 559; Lk 1:34-35 in CCC 484; Lk 1:34 in CCC 505; Lk 1:35 in CCC 437, 486, and 697; Lk 1:37-38 in CCC 148; Lk 1:37 in CCC 269, 273, and 276; Lk 1:38 in CCC 64, 510, 2617, 2677, 2827, and 2856.

December 10, Second Sunday of Advent

The Catechism references verses from today’s First Reading from the Book of Isaiah to teach that John the Baptist, the subject of today’s Gospel, “is more than a prophet” (CCC 719) because the Holy Spirit “makes him the forerunner of the coming Lord” (CCC 718) and “completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah” (CCC 719).

• From the First Reading (Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11): Is 40:1-30 is cited in CCC 719; and Is 40:11 in CCC
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14): Ps 85:11 is cited in CCC 214; and Ps 85:12 in CCC
• From the Second Reading (2 Peter 3:8-14): 2 Pt 3:9 is cited in CCC 1037 and 2822; 2 Pt 3:11-12 in CCC 671; 2 Pt 3:12-13 in CCC 677; and 2 Pt 3:13 in CCC 671 and 1043.
• From the Gospel (Mark 1:1-8): Mk 1:1 is cited in CCC 422 and 515.

December 17, Third Sunday of Advent

In today’s First Reading, Isaiah was not describing himself; he was describing the Messiah. “Christ inaugurates the proclamation of the Good News by making [these verses] his own” (CCC 714). “Jesus is God’s Anointed in a unique way” (CCC 695). The word Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah, which means “anointed.” Whereas anointing in the name of God was done in the Old Testament for the three distinct offices of priest, prophet, and king, Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel by being anointed by the Holy Spirit as priest and as prophet and as king (CCC 436).

• From the First Reading (Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11): Is 61:1-2 is cited in CCC 714; and Is 61:1 in CCC 436, 695, 716, and 1286.
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54): Lk 1:46-49 is cited in CCC 2097; Lk 1:48 in CCC 148, 971, and 2676; Lk 1:49 in CCC 273, 2599, 2807, and 2827; and Lk 1:50 in CCC
• From the Second Reading (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24): 1 Thes 5:17-18 is cited in CCC 2633; 1 Thes 5:17 in CCC 1174, 27442, and 2757; 1 Thes 5:18 in CCC 2638 and 2648; 1 Thes 5:19 in CCC 696; and 1 Thes 5:23 in CCC
• From the Alleluia (Isaiah 61:1): see above.
• From the Gospel (John 1:6-8, 19-28): Jn 1:6 is cited in CCC 717; Jn 1:7 in CCC 719; Jn 1:19 in CCC 575; and Jn 1:23 in CCC

December 24, Fourth Sunday of Advent

Today’s Gospel expresses the doctrine of “the virginal conception of Jesus as a divine work” (CCC 497). “Jesus was conceived solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary” (CCC 496).

• From the First Reading (2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16): 2 Sm 7:14 is cited in CCC 238 and 441.
• From the Second Reading (Romans 16:25-27): Rom 16:25-27 is cited in CCC 2641; and Rom 16:26 in CCC 143, 1204, and 2087.
• From the Alleluia (Luke 1:38): see below.
• From the Gospel (Luke 1:26-38): Lk 1:26-38 is cited in CCC 497, 706, 723, and 2571; Lk 1:26-27 in CCC 488; Lk 1:26 in CCC 332; Lk 1:28-37 in CCC 494; Lk 1:28 in CCC 490 and 491; Lk 1:31 in CCC 430 and 2812; Lk 1:32-33 in CCC 709; Lk 1:32 in CCC 559; Lk 1:34 in CCC 484, and 505; Lk 1:35 in CCC 437, 484, 486, and 697; Lk 1:37-38 in CCC 148; Lk 1:37 in CCC 269, 273, and 276; and Lk 1:38 in CCC 64, 510, 2617, 2677, 2827, and 2856.

December 25, The Nativity of the Lord Vigil Mass

King David is prominent in today’s Responsorial Psalm, Second Reading, and Gospel because Jesus was born “into the messianic lineage of David” (CCC 437). The coming of Christ fulfills God’s covenant with David, the subject of the First Reading of the Fourth Sunday of Advent, that David’s kingdom “shall endure forever” (2 Samuel 7:16) because the Kingdom established by Jesus, the heir of David, “shall have no end,” as we say in the Nicene Creed.

• From the First Reading (Isaiah 62:1-5): Is 62:4-5 is cited in CCC
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29): Ps 89 is cited in CCC
• From the Second Reading (Acts 13:16-17, 22-25): Acts 13:24 is cited in CCC
• From the Gospel (Matthew 1:1-25): Mt 1:16 is cited in CCC 437; Mt 1:18-25 in CCC 497; Mt 1:20 in CCC 333, 437, 486, and 497; Mt 1:21 in CCC 430, 437, 452, 1507, 1846, 2666, and 2812; and Mt 1:23 in CCC 497 and 744.

December 25, The Nativity of the Lord Mass During the Night

“A savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.” “’Lord’ expresses the divine mystery of Jesus” (CCC 448). “To confess or invoke Jesus as Lord is to believe in his divinity” (CCC 455).

• From the First Reading (Isaiah 9:1-6): Is 9:5 is cited in CCC
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 96:1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13): Ps 96:2 is cited in CCC
• From the Second Reading (Titus 2:11-14): Ti 2:12 is cited in CCC 1809; Ti 2:13 in CCC 449, 1041, 1130, 1404, 2760, and 2818; and Ti 2:14 in CCC
• From the Alleluia (Luke 2:10-11): see below.
• From the Gospel (Luke 2:1-14): Lk 2:6-7 is cited in CCC 525; Lk 2:7 in CCC 515; Lk 2:8-14 in CCC 333; Lk 2:10 in CCC 333; Lk 2:11 in CCC 437, 448, and 695; and Lk 2:14 in CCC 333, 559, and 725.

December 25, The Nativity of the Lord Mass at Dawn

Verses from the Second Reading are cited by the Catechism to define Hope, “the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness . . .” (CCC 1817).

• From the Second Reading (Titus 3:4-7): Ti 3:5 is cited in CCC 1215; and Ti 3:6-7 in CCC
• From the Alleluia (Luke 2:14): Lk 2:14 is cited in CCC 333, 559, and 725.
• From the Gospel (Luke 2:15-20): Lk 2:19 is cited in CCC

December 25, The Nativity of the Lord Mass during the Day

Today’s Gospel eloquently and powerfully expresses the doctrine that Jesus “is God himself. . . . Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (CCC 454).

• From the Second Reading (Hebrews 1:1-6): Heb 1:1-3 is cited in CCC 102; Heb 1:1-2 in CCC 65; Heb 1:3 in CCC 241, 320, 2502, 2777, and 2795; and Heb 1:6 in CCC
• From the Gospel (John 1:1-18): Jn 1:1-3 is cited in CCC 291; Jn 1:1 in CCC 241, 454, and 2780; Jn 1:3 in CCC 268; Jn 1:4 in CCC 612; Jn 1:6 in CCC 717; and Jn 1:7 in CCC

December 31, Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Simeon’s quoting of Isaiah, in today’s Gospel, is cited by the Catechism to teach that “[t]he Messiah’s characteristics are revealed above all in the ‘Servant Songs’” (CCC 713) in the Book of Isaiah: 42:1-9, 50:4-10, and 52:13-53:12.

• From the First Reading (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14): Sir 3:2-6 is cited in CCC 2218; and Sir 3:12-13 in CCC
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 or Psalms 105:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9): Ps 105:3 is cited in CCC
• From the Second Reading (Colossians 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 or Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19): Col 3:14 is cited in CCC 815, 1827, and 1844; Col 3:16-17 in CCC 2633; Col 3:16 in CCC 1156; Col 3:18-21 in CCC 2204; Col 3:20 in CCC 2217; and Col 3:21 in CCC 2286; Heb 11:8 in CCC 145; Heb 11:17 in CCC 145 and 2572; and Heb 11:19 in CCC
• From the Alleluia (Colossians 3:15a, 16a or Hebrews 1:1-2): Heb 1:1-2 is cited in CCC
• From the Gospel (Luke 2:22-40): Lk 2:22-39 is cited in CCC 529 and 583; Lk 2:25 in CCC 711; Lk 2:26-27 in CCC 695; Lk 2:32 in CCC 713; Lk 2:34 in CCC 575 and 587; Lk 2:35 in CCC 149 and 618; and Lk 2:38 in CCC

[i] There are too many citations, or references, in the Catechism to the verses in a month of Sunday Mass Readings to identify all the pertinent doctrines in a column that may not exceed 2,000 words. The bullet points allow for further exploration of the Biblical basis of Catholic Doctrine.

[ii] CCC abbreviates Catechism of the Catholic Church. Any number after it is the number of a paragraph in the Catechism. For example, “CCC 2846” means paragraph 2846 of the Catechism.

[iii] If a Reading is not listed, then none of its verses is cited by the CCC.