Today's Gospel December 28, 2020 with the words of Pope Francis

READING OF THE DAY
From the first letter of St. John the apostle
1 Jn 1,5 - 2,2

My children, this is the message we have heard from him and which we announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him. If we say we are in fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we are liars and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we are in communion with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just enough to forgive us and cleanse us from all iniquity. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.

My children, I am writing these things to you so that you do not sin; but if anyone has sinned, we have a Paraclete with the Father: Jesus Christ, the just. He is the victim of atonement for our sins; not only for ours, but also for those around the world.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 2,13-18

The Magi had just left when an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said to him: "Get up, take the child and his mother with you, flee to Egypt and stay there until I warn you: Herod wants to look for the child to killing it".

He got up in the night, took the child and his mother and took refuge in Egypt, where he remained until Herod's death, so that what had been said by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled:
"From Egypt I called my son."

When Herod realized that the Magi had made fun of him, he was furious and sent to kill all the children who were in Bethlehem and throughout its territory and who were two years down, according to the time he had learned exactly. by the Magi.

Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
"A cry was heard in Rama,
a cry and a great lament:
Rachel mourns her children
and does not want to be consoled,
because they are no longer ».

WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
This refusal of Rachel who does not want to be consoled also teaches us how much delicacy is asked of us in front of the pain of others. To speak of hope to those in despair, one must share their despair; to wipe a tear from the face of those who suffer, we must unite our tears with his. Only in this way can our words be truly capable of giving a little hope. And if I can't say words like that, with tears, with pain, silence is better; the caress, the gesture and no words. (General audience, January 4, 2017)