Catholic Doctrine and the Sunday Readings for January 2024

The meaning of the Sunday Mass Readings for January 2024 is made clearest by Catholic Doctrine.

This series of monthly columns on the doctrinal meaning of the Readings for Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation began in January of 2023. It might help to point out that there are other valid meanings of Mass Readings. One good meaning of the Readings is their original meaning – what the original authors meant and intended to communicate. All meanings of Sacred Scripture are based on its original meaning (CCC 116). Another good meaning of Mass Readings is their pastoral meaning – what Jesus is saying to us about our lives and how we should follow him in our own situations. Nevertheless, to be Catholic is to go beyond the original meaning of Scripture to the Catholic Doctrine given by the Magisterium which authoritatively interprets Scripture (CCC 85-87, 111-114). To be Catholic is to follow Jesus, no matter how individually, in a way that does not contradict Catholic Doctrine (CCC 88-95).

Let’s learn the doctrines supported in the Catechism of the Catholic Church by key verses from this January’s Readings.[1] Doctrines are the Magisterium’s authoritative clarification of Revelation and Faith that, in order to be Catholic, must be accepted as objectively true and essentially unchanging. Doctrines give ontological facts; they describe reality.

January 7, Epiphany of the Lord

The Epiphany, which we celebrate today, is “the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world” (CCC 528[2]). The coming of the magi, or wise men, from the East “means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as the Son of God and Savior of the world only by turning toward the Jews and receiving from them the messianic promise as contained in the Old Testament” (CCC 528). The magi are the first pagans to acknowledge Jesus as the Savior. The First Reading and the Responsorial Psalm today promise a Messiah not only for Israel but also for the whole world, and the Second Reading affirms the doctrine that Jesus is this Messiah and the Savior of the world, although none of their verses is cited in the Catechism.

God wants to be known by everyone, just as He wanted the magi to know Him. God wants everyone to know Him so that they can have a relationship with Him (CCC 27). And so the Holy Infant, to whom the magi did homage, grew in age and wisdom, had a public ministry, and left His disciples with the commission, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:19-20). The best way to know God and have a relationship with Him is in the Catholic Church, “established by Christ on the foundation of the Apostles, possessing the fullness of the means of salvation which he has willed: correct and complete confession of faith, full sacramental life, and ordained ministry in apostolic succession” (“Catholic Church,” Glossary, CCC).

From the Alleluia (Matthew 2:2): see below.

• From the Gospel[3] (Matthew 2:1-12): Mt 2:1-12 is cited in CCC 486; Mt 2:1 in CCC 528; Mt 2:2 in CCC 439 and 528; Mt 2:4-6 in CCC 528; and Mt 2:11 in CCC

January 14, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

When John the Baptist calls Jesus “the Lamb of God” in today’s Gospel, he reveals that Jesus is “the suffering Servant who silently allows himself to be led to the slaughter and who bears the sin of the multitudes” (CCC 608). Jesus, the Lamb of God, “takes away the sins of the world” by His death on the cross which “accomplishes the definitive redemption” of the human race (CCC 613). “Jesus atoned for our faults and made satisfaction for our sins to the Father” (CCC 615). Most appropriately does the priest quote St. John the Baptist at the beginning of the Communion Rite at Mass, “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.”  Happy indeed are those called to the supper of the Lamb, Holy Communion.

In the Second Reading, St. Paul teaches us that “[t]he body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,” and that [o]ur bodies are “members of Christ” and “temple[s] of the Holy Spirit,” and so we should “glorify God in [our bodies].” This means “the believer’s body and soul already participate in the dignity of belonging to Christ” which “entails the demand that he should treat with respect his own body, but also the body of every other person” (CCC 1004). Catholic doctrine on respecting the body from womb to tomb is presented in more detail in CCC 2258-2400. The Catechism asserts that being temples of the Holy Spirit (CCC, 1695) means that moral decisions are important for our eternal salvation. “The way of Christ leads to life; a contrary way leads to destruction” (CCC 1696).

• From the First Reading (1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19): 1 Sm 3:9-10 is cited in CCC
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10): Ps 40:2 is cited in CCC 2657; Ps 40:7-9 in CCC 462; and Ps 40: 7 in CCC
• From the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20): 1 Cor 6:13-15 is cited in CCC 1004; 1 Cor 6:14 in CCC 989; 1 Cor 6:15-20 in CCC 2355; 1 Cor 6:15 in CCC 1265; 1 Cor 6:19-20 in CCC 364 and 1004; and 1 Cor 6:19 in CCC 1265, 1269, and 1695.
• From the Alleluia (John 1:41, 17b): Jn 1:17 is cited in CCC
• From the Gospel (John 1:35-42): Jn 1:36 is cited in CCC

January 21, Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel, we hear the gospel, or good news, preached by Jesus Himself: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand.” Jesus not only preached the Kingdom but also inaugurated it in order to “raise up men to share in [God’s] own divine life” by inaugurating the Catholic Church, which is “the seed and the beginning of that kingdom” (CCC 541). The Kingdom will be completely established as the new Heaven and the new Earth when Jesus comes again in glory at the end of time to judge the living and the dead (CCC 1042-1050).

Note well that immediately after Jesus preaches the good news of the coming of the Kingdom, He adds, “Repent.” Jesus’ call to repentance and conversion “is an essential part of the proclamation of the kingdom” (CCC 1427). “[T]his call is first addressed to those who do not yet know Christ and his Gospel. . . . It is by faith in the Gospel and by Baptism that one renounces evil and gains salvation” (CCC 1427). Jesus’ call to repent “continues to resound in the lives of Christians” (CCC 1428). The Sacrament of Penance especially “makes . . . present Jesus’ call to conversion” (CCC 1423). To what should we try to convert others and make sure we are converting ourselves? Catholic Doctrine and the Church discipline, morality, worship, and prayer in harmony with it.

• From the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 7:29-31): 1 Cor 7:31 is cited in CCC
• From the Alleluia (Mark 1:15): see below.
• From the Gospel (Mark 1:14-20): Mk 1:14-15 is cited in CCC 541; Mk 1:15 in CCC 1423 and 1427; Mk 1:16-20 in CCC

January 28, Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We see in today’s Gospel that “Jesus performed exorcisms” (CCC 1673). Furthermore, “the Church has received the power and office of exorcizing” from Jesus. An exorcism is “[w]hen the Church asks [God] publicly and authoritatively in the name of Jesus Christ that a person or object be protected against the power of the Evil One and withdrawn from his dominion.”

In the Second Reading, St. Paul comments on being married and unmarried. The Catechism cites verses from it with regard to celibacy as virginity for the sake of the Kingdom.

While celibacy does allow priests and bishops to give themselves entirely to the Church and others “with undivided heart,” clerical celibacy is a discipline, or rule, not a doctrine (CCC 1579). This is why Catholic priests (but not bishops) in the Eastern Rite may be married (CCC 1580). The pope has the authority to change discipline about clerical celibacy.

After pointing out that “[f]rom the beginning of the Church there have been men and women who have renounced the great good of marriage to follow [Christ] wherever he goes” (CCC 1618) and so have been celibate, the Catechism gives the doctrine: “Both the sacrament of Matrimony and virginity for the Kingdom of God come from the Lord himself” (CCC1620). It then quotes St. John Chrysostom: “Whoever denigrates marriage also diminishes the glory of virginity. Whoever praises [marriage] makes virginity more admirable and resplendent.”

• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9): Ps 95:1-6 is cited in CCC 2628; Ps 95:7-8 in CCC 2659; Ps 95:7 in CCC 1165; and Ps 95:9 in CCC
• From the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 7:32-35): 1 Cor 7:32 is cited in CCC 1579 and 1618; and 1 Cor 7:34-35 in CCC
• From the Gospel. (Mark 1:21-28): Mk 1:21 is cited in CCC 2173; Mk 1:24 in CCC 438; and Mk 1:25-26 in CCC

[1] 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, so I will use my best judgment to select which verses and doctrines to cover in a column that may not exceed 2,000 words. The bullet points allow you to explore further the Biblical basis of Catholic Doctrine.

[2] CCC abbreviates Catechism of the Catholic Church. Any number after it is the number of a paragraph in the Catechism. For example, “CCC 528” means paragraph 528 of the Catechism.

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