The 31st of December, 2021, Friday is the Seventh Day within the Octave of Christmas. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2022 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: 1 JN 2:18-21
The first reading from the Letter of John.
Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour.
They went out from us, but they didn’t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.
You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 96:1-2, 11-12A, 12B-13
Response: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.
Sing to Yahweh a new song! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth.
Sing to Yahweh! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day!
R: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness!
Let the field and all that is in it exult!
R: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.
Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy before Yahweh; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, the peoples with his truth.
R: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.
Gospel of the Day: JN 1:1-18
From the gospel verse according to John.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him.
He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.
The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him.
He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.’_”
From his fullness we all received grace upon grace.
For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
No one has seen God at any time. The only born Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Commemoration of Saint Sylvester I, Pope.
