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Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

The Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's. (If Christmas falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated on December 30.) The Holy Family serves as a model for all families.

Click on the appropriate year below to see resources, themes, homilies, games, lesson plans, and more.

Mass Readings for the Feast of the Holy Family Year A

  • First ReadingSirach 3:2-6, 12-14: “Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard. Whoever reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.”
  • Responsorial PsalmPsalm 128: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.”
  • Second ReadingColossians 3:12-22: “Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.”
  • GospelMatthew 2:13-15, 19-23: “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”

Mass Readings for the Feast of the Holy Family Year B

  • First ReadingSirach 3:2-6, 12-14: “Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them. When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who reveres his mother.”
  • Alternate First ReadingGenesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3: “The LORD took note of Sarah as he had said he would; he did for her as he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated.”
  • Responsorial PsalmPsalm 128: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.”
  • Alternate Responsorial PsalmPsalm 105: “The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.”
  • Second ReadingColossians 3:12-22: “And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.”
  • Alternate Second ReadingHebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19: “So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.”
  • GospelLuke 2:22-40: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

Daily Mass Readings for the Feast of the Holy Family Year C

  • First ReadingSirach 3:2-6, 12-14: “God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother's authority he confirms over her sons.”
  • Alternate First Reading1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28: “Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
  • Responsorial PsalmPsalm 128: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.”
  • Alternate Responsorial PsalmPsalm 84: “Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.”
  • Second ReadingColossians 3:12-21: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”
  • Alternate Second Reading1 John 3:1-2, 21-24: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.”
  • GospelLuke 2:41-52: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

More About Lectionary Cycles

Learn more about the difference between a Bible and a Lectionary, how the Lectionary is arranged, and translations of the Bible used at Mass.

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