Msgr. Roger J. Landry
National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies
Daily Reflection for December 24, 2025
Here is the video of today’s reflection.
The Youtube generated transcript for today’s reflection is:
I’m Monsignor Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, coming to you from the beautiful image of Divine Mercy at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. It’s Christmas Eve and in the Gospel we have the famous Benedictus of Zechariah. Zechariah, John the Baptist father, had been struck mute for nine months in preparation for the birth of his son. When his son was finally circumcised, his tongue was loosened and he exploded with words that the church has continued to pronounce prayerfully every morning at lods. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he’s come to his people and set them free. Zechariah is bursting out with the words about Jesus who he got to know in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary when Mary was caring for Elizabeth for over three months. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel for his come to his people and set them free is raised up for us a mighty savior born of the house of his servant David. Jesus seemed anything but mighty when he was saying those words. He was just a few months old according to his humanity in Mary’s womb, but he still was the mightiest of all time. Zechariah goes on to describe his son John the Baptist role. He says, “And you, my child, shall be called the servant of the Lord. You will go before the Lord to prepare his way to give people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins.” John’s role was to prepare people for the offer of salvation through the forgiveness of sins that St. John would proclaim at the Jordan River. For us to get ready for Christmas, for us to be able to embrace the Savior born for us, we too need to be freed from our sins. Jesus came to free us from those sins by the mercy we see him blessing us with over my shoulder. And so, as we get ready for Christmas, please take the time to make a good confession, perhaps even the best confession of your life. The mercy of the Lord, the salvation that comes through the forgiveness of sins is what missionaries are trying to bring all across the globe. We pray for them tonight in many of those areas. It’s already Christmas according to the time zones in our world. So we pray for them that people hearing the gospel for the first time might fully embrace it, come to get the mercy Jesus brought into the world by baptism and the second baptism of confession and in turn become missionaries of the same savior and the same redeeming merciful love. God bless you.
The Gospel reading on which the reflection was based on:
Gospel
Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
for he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”