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Christmas Season · The Holy Family of Jesus: Mary and Joseph · Year A

Colossians 3:12-21 or Colossians 3:12-17

Clothe Yourselves with Love

December 28, 2025

Christ in the House of His Parents, John Everett Millais
Christ in the House of His Parents, John Everett Millais, 1849–1850Tate Britain, via Google Art Project
Dickens attacked it in print for showing the Holy Family as actual carpenters, with dirt, a cut hand and a bare workshop floor. Millais worked from a real carpenter's shop.As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience … And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.John Everett MillaisA Pre-Raphaelite prodigy who entered the Royal Academy schools at eleven, scandalised Dickens, and ended as its president.Tate Britain, via Google Art ProjectThe original Tate on Millbank, now holding the national collection of British art from the Tudors onwards.Tate Britain, via Google Art Project
Roman Lectionary
GospelMatt. 2:13-15, 19-23Mt 2:13-15, 19-23
Second ReadingCol. 3:12-21Col 3:12-21 orCol. 3:12-17Col 3:12-17
First ReadingSir. 3:2-6, 12-14Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
Responsorial PsalmPs. 128:1-2, 3, 4-5Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

Overview & Insights

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:14)

The ethical section of Colossians works through a clothing metaphor. The old self has been stripped off (3:9) and the reader is told to put on a set of virtues (v. 12), with love as the outer garment that holds the others in place (v. 14). The list is not generic: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience are qualities Israel’s scriptures ascribe to God, and the community is addressed in Israel’s own terms as chosen, holy and beloved (compare Deuteronomy 7:6-7). The longer option continues into the household instructions of vv. 18-21, whose fuller parallel stands at Ephesians 5:21-6:4; each clause is qualified “in the Lord”, and the reciprocal halves, addressed to husbands and to fathers, are the parts most easily dropped. On this feast it matters that the domestic paragraph follows the singing assembly of v. 16 rather than preceding it.

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Take it further: Colossians 3:12-21 or Colossians 3:12-17

Commentary

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Year A Catholic Productions

Pitre's treatment of Paul's household code in Colossians 3 as the Sunday's New Testament teaching on family virtue.

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Cycle A Loyola Press Sunday Connection

Connects Paul's list of virtues in Colossians 3:12-17 to lived family life.

Commentary on Colossians 3:12-23Commentary on Col 3:12-23 Working Preacher

Exegetical commentary on the 'clothe yourselves' passage assigned for this Sunday.

Colossians 3 Commentary: Put Off, Put On, Verse by VerseCol 3 Commentary: Put Off, Put On, Verse by Verse Enduring Word

Verse-by-verse treatment of the compassion, kindness, and forgiveness Paul commands in 3:12-21.

Colossians 3 CommentaryCol 3 Commentary Precept Austin

Detailed word-study commentary on the household virtues Paul lists in the assigned verses.

Colossians 3:12-17 CommentaryCol 3:12-17 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Preaching-focused commentary on the 'haustafeln' household code for this exact Sunday's epistle.

Background & Word Study

Colossians 3:12 InterlinearCol 3:12 Interlinear Bible Hub Interlinear

Greek word-by-word text for Paul's list of virtues believers are told to 'put on.'

The Church Fathers

Colossians 3Col 3 Catena Bible

Patristic comments collected on Paul's teaching about the new self and household relationships.

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