Commentary Intro to Mass Readings for Sunday
CommentaryIntro to Mass Readings for Sunday
December 28 2025
December 28, 2025
Holy Family (A)
Fr. Galetto contextualizes this passage from Wisdom literature by explaining the critical nature of family structure in the Middle East, both in the time of Jesus and today. He notes that the family unit was an economic necessity that prevented homelessness and poverty, particularly through the tradition of wives joining their husbands’ households to work for the family business. The core message of the reading is the commandment to respect one’s father and mother. Fr. Galetto highlights that this respect must endure even as parents age or face senility, promising that the kindness shown to parents will be returned to you by your own children in the future.
Larry Broding
WORD-SUNDAY.COM
Respect for Parents
by Larry Broding
The fourth commandment is based upon a deeper command from God: love others as self. Love assumes and builds up respect. How have you shown love and respect to your family members? How have you expected such treatment in return?
In a society that idolizes youth and independence, the care of aging parents is often viewed as a burden rather than a blessing. Larry Broding’s commentary on Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) challenges this modern mindset by taking us back to 180 B.C. Jerusalem.
Broding unpacks why Ben Sira placed “honoring father and mother” above even murder and theft in the hierarchy of human duties. This commentary is essential for preachers who want to confront the “optional” nature of family care in America today. Discover how this ancient “textbook for bureaucrats” offers a radical promise: that caring for the elderly isn’t just a duty—it is a spiritual act that atones for sin and guarantees God’s compassion.
Why this commentary will sharpen your homily:
1. It Elevates Family Duty to Spiritual Atonement
The most startling theological claim in this text is often missed by casual readers: that honoring one’s father “forgives sin” (Sirach 3:3). Broding highlights this critical point.
- The Preaching Hook: This allows the preacher to shift the conversation from “moral obligation” to “spiritual redemption.” It presents caregiving not just as a burden, but as a sacramental act that draws God’s compassion.
2. It Contextualizes the “Fourth Commandment”
Broding points out that in Sirach’s hierarchy, honoring parents is the single most important commandment regarding human affairs—ranking higher than the prohibitions against murder, theft, or adultery.
- The Perspective: This insight gives the homilist the ammunition to argue that the breakdown of society isn’t just about crime or violence, but begins with the neglect of the elderly. It reframes the “family values” debate around the treatment of the vulnerable old rather than just the young.
3. It Confronts Modern Culture Head-On
Broding explicitly contrasts the “elderly-centered” culture of Judea with the “youth-centered” culture of modern America.
- The Application: This helps the preacher address the “elephant in the room”: that in our current culture, caring for aging parents is often seen as optional or an inconvenience. Broding argues that what we view as optional, the Bible views as the “pillar of society.”
Fr. Galetto explains that St. Paul likely wrote this letter from prison to a community he had never visited to combat the influence of Gnosticism. The Gnostics believed in a “secret knowledge” accessible only to a paying elite and viewed the physical body and sexual relations as evil. This often led men to disdain their wives as sources of temptation. Paul counters this by asserting that there are no secrets in Christ and by providing a “list of virtues” (a common Hellenistic writing style). He urges the Colossians to reject Gnostic elitism and instead focus on forgiveness, love, and the sanctity of the family unit.
Larry Broding
WORD-SUNDAY.COM
What We Bring To the Lord’s Table
by Larry Broding
What do you bring to Mass on Sunday? Baggage and a fighting spirit? Or a thankful heart? Honestly reflect on the quality of your worship. Ask God to heal the hurt. Place all burdens in his hands. And thank him for his grace.
Colossae was a “once glorious, but declining city”—a description that might feel all too familiar to many modern congregations. How does a church maintain its witness when its cultural influence is waning?
Larry Broding’s commentary focuses on the author’s solution: Reputation. By unpacking the communal virtues of compassion, forgiveness, and love found in Colossians 3, Broding challenges preachers to ask the hard questions: What do outsiders think of our community? Do we look like the Body of Christ, or just another social club? Use this commentary to move your parish from individual piety to a powerful corporate witness.
Why this commentary will sharpen your homily:
1. It Decodes the “Colossian Heresy” (The Angel Worship Problem)
Colossians can be a difficult book to preach because Paul (or the author) is arguing against a specific, unnamed group. This commentary clarifies exactly what was at stake.
- The Insight: It explains that the community wasn’t just struggling with standard Jewish laws (circumcision/diet), but a strange “hybrid” cult that involved the “worship of angels” and Gnostic-like secret wisdom.
- The Preaching Point: This allows the homilist to explain why the author is emphasizing Christ’s supremacy so heavily. Christ isn’t just a good teacher here; He is the antidote to a hierarchy of spiritual powers. It helps the preacher ask: What “secret wisdom” or “spiritual forces” are your people relying on instead of Jesus?
2. It Connects Scripture Directly to the Sunday Liturgy
Preachers often struggle to bridge the gap between a letter written in 65 AD and the service happening on Sunday morning. This commentary creates that bridge effortlessly.
- The Link: It explicitly maps the text of Colossians 3 to the structure of the Mass/Service. It identifies the “Assembly” (Body), the “Word and Homily” (3:16a-b), the “Song” (3:16c), and the “Eucharist” (giving thanks in 3:15/17).
- The Application: It transforms the reading from a historical document into a commentary on what the congregation is doing right now. It validates the act of worship as the primary Christian response to God.
3. It Shifts the Focus from Individual to Corporate Virtue
It is easy to preach a list of virtues (compassion, kindness, humility) as a self-help checklist for individuals. This commentary corrects that view.
- The Challenge: It forces the preacher to ask the congregation not just “Are you kind?” but “Is our church known for kindness?” This shifts the sermon from private morality to communal witness.
- The Correction: It emphasizes that the author addresses the community as a whole. These aren’t just personal habits; they are the “brand reputation” of the Church.
Fr. Galetto emphasizes that Matthew’s primary goal in the infancy narratives is to demonstrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. He draws a parallel between Jesus and Moses: just as Joseph (OT) and the Israelites found refuge in Egypt, God directs Joseph (NT) through dreams to flee to Egypt to protect the child. Fr. Galetto points out the specific prophetic fulfillment of the line, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.” Finally, he explains that the Holy Family settled in Galilee (the north) rather than Judea due to the fear of Herod’s son, Archelaus. This move to Nazareth was by divine design, fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah would be known as a Nazorean.
Larry Broding
WORD-SUNDAY.COM
Change After the Holidays
by Larry Broding
Review the holidays. Place the joys and sorrows of the holidays before the Lord. How do you see God working with you this past season? How is he working with you now?
Why did Matthew devote so much space to the Holy Family’s movements between Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth? Larry Broding argues that for the Evangelist, these weren’t just geographic relocations—they were theological revelations.
In this insightful commentary, Broding unpacks the rich typology hidden in Matthew 2:13-23. Discover how the “New Joseph” mirrors the Patriarch of Genesis—dreaming, going down to Egypt, and rising to save his people. Explore the linguistic puzzle of the “Nazarene” prophecy and its possible connection to the Hebrew nazir (“consecrated one”). If you want to show your congregation how Jesus’s childhood journey recapitulates the history of Israel and foreshadows the Cross, this resource is your roadmap.
Why this commentary is essential for your homily prep:
1. It Addresses the “Elephant in the Room”: The Post-Holiday Slump
Most commentaries focus strictly on the historical context. Broding distinguishes himself by starting with the emotional context of the congregation.
- The Problem: He acknowledges that for many, the weeks after Christmas are marked by relief, letdown, loneliness, and a return to the grind.
- The Bridge: He connects this modern “downturn” to the immediate pressure the Holy Family faced after the joy of the Magi. It gives the preacher a perfect opening hook: Just as the Holy Family moved from celebration to survival mode, so do we.
2. It Solves the “Nazarene” Puzzle (Matthew 2:23)
One of the hardest verses for a preacher to explain is Matthew’s claim that “He will be called a Nazarene,” because no such verse exists in the Old Testament.
- The Solution: Broding saves the preacher hours of research by providing a clear, preachable explanation: it is likely a wordplay on the Hebrew “nazir” (consecrated to God). This transforms a confusing footnote into a powerful sermon point about Jesus being consecrated from birth, like Samuel.
3. It Reframes “Geography” as “Theology”
A common trap in preaching this text is getting bogged down in the map (Bethlehem to Egypt to Nazareth). Broding shifts the focus. He argues that Matthew wasn’t concerned with the travel log, but the theological log.
- The Takeaway: Every move Jesus made was about identity, not just location. This helps the preacher explain that our own “moves”—changes in health, job, or family status—are not just random events, but locations where we can discover our own theological identity in Christ.
Infographics were created using Nano Banana Pro with Gemini 3.0. They draw inspiration from the commentary above from Agape Bible Study, but are not officially associated with or endorsed by Michal Elizabeth Hunt. They may be copied for personal use or for use in any non-profit ministry. All works on the Agape Bible Study were licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Fr. Corrigan, OFM
friarmusings.com
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TWTW infographics below were created using core concepts in the video above.
Non-profits are welcome to utilize the provided graphics in their materials and presentations. Please acknowledge Fr. Geoffrey Plant, and his website, sundayhomilies.au. The graphics were designed by TheWordThisWeek.net using Gemini Pro 3 and Nano Banana. Proper attribution is appreciated.
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Gospel Commentary
TWTW infographics below were created using core concepts in the video above.
Pointers for Prayer
TWTW infographics on this page present Fr. Kieran’s “GOSPEL COMMENTARY” and “POINTER FOR PRAYER” which are presented after each reading’s commentary. Please cross-reference the slides with the PDF if you notice any errors. Non-profits are welcome to utilize the provided graphics in their materials and presentations. Please acknowledge Fr. Kieran O’Mahony, OSA, and his website, taurus.ie. The graphics were designed by TheWordThisWeek.net using Gemini Pro 3 and Nano Banana. Proper attribution is appreciated.
KEITH NESTER – Unpacking the Mass
TWTW infographics below were created using core concepts in the video above.
Non-profits are welcome to utilize the provided graphics in their materials and presentations. Please acknowledge Keith Nester. The graphics were designed by TheWordThisWeek.net using Gemini Pro 3 and Nano Banana. Proper attribution is appreciated.