Daily Mass Readings – Tuesday, 5 January 2027

7 Dearly beloved, let us love one another, for charity is of God. And every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity.

9 By this hath the charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him.

10 In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

R. (11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

1-2 Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king’s son thy justice: To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

3 Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice.

4 He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

7 In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken sway.

8 And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

18 The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

34 And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past:

36 Send them away, that going into the next villages and towns, they may buy themselves meat to eat.

37 And he answering said to them: Give you them to eat. And they said to him: Let us go and buy bread for two hundred pence, and we will give them to eat.

38 And he saith to them: How many loaves have you? go and see. And when they knew, they say: Five, and two fishes.

39 And he commanded them that they should make them all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.

41 And when he had taken the five loaves, and the two fishes: looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave to his disciples to set before them: and the two fishes he divided among them all.

42 And they all did eat, and had their fill.

43 And they took up the leavings, twelve full baskets of fragments, and of the fishes.

44 And they that did eat, were five thousand men.

God’s love becomes visible in the way Jesus looks upon people and responds to their need. He sees the crowd as sheep without a shepherd, teaches them, and refuses to send them away hungry. His compassion is both tender and practical: he brings truth to the poor, liberty to captives, justice to the oppressed, and food to the multitude.

The disciples notice the scarcity—only five loaves and two fish—while Jesus asks them to place what they have in his hands. After blessing and breaking the bread, he gives it through them, and everyone eats their fill. The abundance comes from Christ, yet his disciples are entrusted with distributing it. Since God loved us first and sent his Son for our life, our love cannot remain only a feeling or a private devotion. It must take the form of attention, mercy, fairness, and generous service. We may feel that our offering is small, but compassion placed before Christ can become nourishment for many. His love still works through willing hands.

Lord Jesus, Shepherd of your people, look with compassion upon us and teach us to see those who are hungry, burdened, or without guidance. Thank you for loving us first and giving yourself so that we may live. Take the little we possess—our time, strength, faith, and kindness—and bless it for the good of others. Keep us from turning away when need seems greater than our resources. Give us hearts that seek justice, hands ready to serve, and trust in your generous care. May your peace and mercy reach through us to those you place in our path. Amen.