A desert road at first light, a pillar of golden light rising from the mesa.

Tuesday, December 22, 2026

December 22

The liturgical day

December 22

  • Advent
  • Liturgical color: Violet

The Mass readings

First reading
1 Samuel 1:24-28
Responsorial Psalm
1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
Gospel
Luke 1:46-56

Read today's Mass readings on the USCCB site

The readings open on the USCCB website. They follow the Lectionary for Mass approved for the United States, a different translation from the Douay-Rheims we use on this site. Desert Road Catholic is not affiliated with the USCCB.

First reading: 1 Samuel 1:24-28

Douay-Rheims: 1 Kings 1:24-28

24And after she had weaned him, she carried him with her, with three calves, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young: 25And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli. 26And Anna said: I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord. 27For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him. 28Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. And Anna prayed, and said:

Responsorial Psalm: 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

Douay-Rheims: 1 Kings 2:1, 4-8

1My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies: because I have joyed in thy salvation.

4The bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength. 5They that were full before have hired out themselves for bread: and the hungry are filled, so that the barren hath borne many: and she that had many children is weakened. 6The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to hell and bringeth back again. 7The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he humbleth and he exalteth. 8He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and lifteth up the poor from the dunghill: that he may sit with princes, and hold the throne of glory. For the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath set the world.

Gospel: Luke 1:46-56

Douay-Rheims: Luke 1:46-56

46And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. 50And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. 51He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. 52He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. 53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: 55As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. 56And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.

The same passages in the Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), the translation we use on this site. The words read at Mass come from the Lectionary for Mass and differ. Where a reading begins or ends partway through a verse, the whole verse is shown. For the official text, open the readings on the USCCB site.

December 2026

December 2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1, Tuesday of the first week of Advent, liturgical color violet2, Wednesday of the first week of Advent, liturgical color violet3, Saint Francis Xavier, Priest, liturgical color white4, Friday of the first week of Advent, liturgical color violet5, Saturday of the first week of Advent, liturgical color violet
6, Second Sunday of Advent, liturgical color violet7, Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, liturgical color white8, The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the USA, liturgical color white, Holy day of obligation (also a solemnity)9, Wednesday of the second week of Advent, liturgical color violet10, Thursday of the second week of Advent, liturgical color violet11, Friday of the second week of Advent, liturgical color violet12, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, liturgical color white
13, Third Sunday of Advent, liturgical color rose or violet14, Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church, liturgical color white15, Tuesday of the third week of Advent, liturgical color violet16, Wednesday of the third week of Advent, liturgical color violet17, December 17, liturgical color violet18, December 18, liturgical color violet19, December 19, liturgical color violet
20, Fourth Sunday of Advent, liturgical color violet21, December 21, liturgical color violet22, December 22, liturgical color violet, this page23, December 23, liturgical color violet24, December 24, liturgical color violet25, The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), liturgical color white, Holy day of obligation (also a solemnity)26, Saint Stephen, the First Martyr, liturgical color red
27, The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, liturgical color white28, The Holy Innocents, Martyrs, liturgical color red29, Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, liturgical color white30, Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, liturgical color white31, Seventh Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord, liturgical color white

Key

  • Violet
  • White
  • Rose
  • Red
  • ObligHoly day of obligation (also a solemnity)

The dot shows the liturgical color of the day. Fridays outside Lent carry no marker.

A word for the day

Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee.

The Rosary today

The Sorrowful Mysteries, prayed on Tuesday and Friday.

Keep this day

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This calendar follows the General Roman Calendar for the United States. Some feasts are kept on other days in some provinces and dioceses, so check your parish calendar.

Calendar computed with romcal (MIT License). Reading citations from the Catholic Readings API (MIT License), with gaps checked against the USCCB pages. Douay-Rheims text courtesy of eBible.org.