Sunday Reflections, 2nd Sunday of Christmas, 4 January 2026

The Virgin with the Child Jesus and the Child St John the Baptist 

Francisco de Zurbarán [Web Gallery of Art]

In Ireland, England & Wales the Solemnity of the Epiphany is a Holy Day of Obligation and is celebrated this year on Tuesday, 6 January, the traditional date. In many countries the Epiphany is celebrated on this Sunday, 4 January. The readings below are those for the Second Sunday After the Nativity, observed in Ireland, England & Wales. You will find Sunday Reflections  for the Solemnity of the Epiphany here.

Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Ireland)

Readings (English Standard Version, Catholic Edition: (England & Wales)

Gospel John 1:1-18 or 1-5, 9-14 (English Standard Version, Anglicised)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

[There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.]

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

[John bore witness about him, and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.” ’For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only begotten God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.] 

Léachtaíi nGaeilge

Et verbum caro factum est

Composed by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)

Sung by Canarinhos de Petrópolis, Brazil

Et Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis; et vidimus gloriam eius, gloriam eius, gloriam quasi Unigeniti a Patre, plenum gratiae et veritatis.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father (John 1:14).

Madonna and Child

Murillo [Web Gallery of Art]

In The Ascent of Mount Carmel St John of the Cross writes: When [God] gave us, as he did, his Son, who is his one Word, he spoke everything to us, once and for all in that one Word. There is nothing further for him to say . . .

Continue at Bangor to Bobbio.