The Second Sunday of Christmas returns to the Prologue of John (John 1:1–18), proclaiming that the eternal Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. In The Mass Readings Explained, Dr. Brant Pitre walks through this Sunday's readings and shows how the Old Testament Word-and-Wisdom traditions illuminate the mystery of the Incarnation.
The First Reading (Sirach 24) personifies Wisdom “pitching her tent” in Israel; the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 147) praises Zion for the Word God sends forth; the Second Reading (Ephesians 1) blesses the God who chose us in Christ “before the foundation of the world”; and the Gospel (John 1:1–18) declares that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Dr. Pitre connects Wisdom's dwelling with the Word who “tabernacles” among us in the Incarnation.
GOSPEL, FIRST READING & PSALM TRANSCRIPT (Subscribe or Login for Full Transcript):
The second Sunday after Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity, brings us to one of the most important Gospel texts in the entire Bible. It's the famous prologue to the Gospel of John, which describes the mystery of the Incarnation in full. It’s very, very fitting that the Church would give us this particular Gospel during the Christmas season—which, by the way, we’re still in, because during the Christmas season, during the season of the Nativity, we’re reflecting on the mystery of the Incarnation—not just the event of Jesus’s birth, but the entire mystery of God becoming man. So...
SECOND READING TRANSCRIPT (SubscribeorLoginfor Full Transcript):
The second reading for the second Sunday after Christmas is from St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18. We read these words...
GOSPEL, FIRST READING & PSALM TRANSCRIPT (Subscribe or Login for Full Transcript):
The second Sunday after Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity, brings us to one of the most important Gospel texts in the entire Bible. It's the famous prologue to the Gospel of John, which describes the mystery of the Incarnation in full. It’s very, very fitting that the Church would give us this particular Gospel during the Christmas season—which, by the way, we’re still in, because during the Christmas season, during the season of the Nativity, we’re reflecting on the mystery of the Incarnation—not just the event of Jesus’s birth, but the entire mystery of God becoming man. So...
SECOND READING TRANSCRIPT (SubscribeorLoginfor Full Transcript):
The second reading for the second Sunday after Christmas is from St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18. We read these words...
The Readings for the Second Sunday of Christmas, Year C
First Reading: Sirach 24:1–2, 8–12
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:12–13, 14–15, 19–20
Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3–6, 15–18
Gospel: John 1:1–18
Key passages & sources examined: Wisdom pitching her tent in Israel (Sirach 24); the Word God sends forth (Psalm 147); chosen in Christ “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1); and the Word who “became flesh and dwelt”—literally tabernacled—among us (John 1:1–18).
What are the Mass readings for the Second Sunday of Christmas? Sirach 24:1–2, 8–12; Psalm 147; Ephesians 1:3–6, 15–18; and the Gospel, John 1:1–18.
How does Sirach 24 connect to Christmas? Wisdom “pitching her tent” in Israel prefigures the Word who dwells—literally “tabernacles”—among us in John 1:14.
What does “the Word became flesh” mean? That the eternal Son of God truly took on human nature in Jesus Christ.
What is the focus of this Sunday? The Prologue of John and the Word made flesh, read through the Old Testament Wisdom tradition.
Want every Sunday and feast explained like this?
Get Dr. Brant Pitre’s complete Mass Readings Explained — a new study for every Sunday and holy day.
I'm amazed by these lectures, I learn so many things and I hear so many things Ive never heard before. Love how dr Brant Pitre answers complicated questions at the end of the lectures.
This was another great and informative lecture on Catholic teachings concerning a Catholic belief not shared by our Christian brothers and sisters. And, like his other lectures on the Jewish Roots of our Faith, Dr. Pitre gives great insight using biblical texts, history and language lessons. But, this left me burning questions Dr. Pitre did not ask or answer: When, after death, is purgatory? Do our resurrected bodies partake in purgatory? If those who experience purgatory are saved then how does the doctrine of the beatific vision play into all this? Maybe these questions are answered in another lecture?
I'm amazed by these lectures, I learn so many things and I hear so many things Ive never heard before. Love how dr Brant Pitre answers complicated questions at the end of the lectures.
This was another great and informative lecture on Catholic teachings concerning a Catholic belief not shared by our Christian brothers and sisters. And, like his other lectures on the Jewish Roots of our Faith, Dr. Pitre gives great insight using biblical texts, history and language lessons. But, this left me burning questions Dr. Pitre did not ask or answer: When, after death, is purgatory? Do our resurrected bodies partake in purgatory? If those who experience purgatory are saved then how does the doctrine of the beatific vision play into all this? Maybe these questions are answered in another lecture?
