• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province

The Love that Compels

  • Migration
    • Statement from Passionist Leadership Regarding Current United States Immigration Policies
    • The Global Migration Crisis: What Can a Retreat Center Do?
  • Laudato Si’
    • Celebrating the Season of Creation
    • Laudato Si’ 2023-24 Report and 2024-25 Plan
    • Ways to Live Laudato Siˊ
    • Sustainable Purchasing
      • Sustainable Purchasing Guide
      • Hints for Sustainable Meetings and Events
      • Sustainable Living Hints
    • Passion of the Earth, Wisdom of the Cross
    • Passionist Solidarity Network
  • Pray
    • Daily Reflections
    • Prayer Request
    • Sunday Homily
    • Passionist Spirituality and Prayer
    • Video: Stations of the Cross
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
  • Grow
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • The Passionist Way
    • Retreat Centers
    • Passionist Magazine
    • Passionist Ministries
      • Preaching
      • Hispanic Ministry
      • Parish Life
      • Earth and Spirit Center
      • Education
      • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Passionist Solidarity Network
    • Journey into the Mystery of Christ Crucified
    • Celebrating the Feast of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Subscribe to E-News
    • Sacred Heart Monastery
      • History of Sacred Heart Monastery
      • A Day in the Life of Senior Passionists
      • “Pillars” of the Community
  • Join
    • Come and See Holy Week Discernment Retreat
    • Are You Being Called?
    • Province Leadership
    • Vocation Resources
    • Passionist Brothers
    • The Life of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Discerning Your Call
    • Pray With Us
    • Passionist Vocation Directors
    • World Day for Consecrated Life
    • Lay Partnerships
  • Connect
    • Find a Passionist
    • Passionist Websites
    • Fr. Cedric Pisegna, CP, Live with Passion!
    • Passionist Alumni Association
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
      • St. Gemma Circle of Giving Intentions
    • Leave a Legacy
      • Giving Matters
      • Ways to Give
      • Donor Relations
      • Testimonials
    • Prayer and Seasonal Cards
    • Privacy Policy Statement
  • Learn
    • Our Passionist History: Webinar Series
    • Proclaiming Our Passionist Story (POPS)
    • Our Founder
    • History
    • The Letters of St. Paul of the Cross
    • The Diary of St. Paul of the Cross
    • Mission and Charism
    • Saints and Blesseds
    • FAQs
    • Find a Passionist
    • STUDIES IN PASSIONIST HISTORY AND SPIRITUALITY
  • Safe Environments

Daily Reflections

Daily Scripture, September 8, 2025

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Scripture:

Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

Reflection:

In Saint Matthew’s gospel, the story of Jesus’ birth is told mostly through the eyes of Joseph. He is the one to whom the Lord reveals the Divine plan and Joseph is the one who is the principal actor in these early events. Joseph is however an ‘actor who never speaks’ either in interactions with others or indeed in his dialogue with the Lord. Joseph is a silent witness, but an acute listener and one who acts on every instruction given by the lord (albeit in dreams).

However, while the scripture highlights Joseph’s role in the birth of Jesus, today our focus is drawn towards Mary since the liturgy of today celebrates her birth – a Feast Day that has been celebrated in the Church from around the sixth century onwards.

Tradition celebrates Mary’s parents as Anne and Joachim (who only have the one child Mary herself). We know little of the life of Mary prior to her call by God and her marriage to Joseph, and as to Mary’s early years we must speculate. Perhaps we might consider two possibilities for the life that Mary lived.

Firstly we might note ancient tradition which stresses that from her very childhood Mary was dedicated to God and served in the Temple as a girl and young woman. This tradition can be seen in the writings of the Fathers of the Church who claim that Mary was presented to the Temple and served there from the age of three until the age of fourteen (when she was betrothed to Joseph and left such service to marry). Certainly there is evidence in the scriptures of women offering non-liturgical service in or around the Temple,  and we encounter one such person in the story of Joseph and Mary meeting Anna – an elderly widow who spent her days in service at the Temple.  But whether Mary lived such a life in her early years is beyond my knowledge.

Another way to reflect on Mary’s early years is simply to speculate that her life may have been no less than that of other young girls of her day. Although in such times girls were excluded from formally attending school, there is evidence that both mothers and fathers instructed their children in the Law, the scriptures and the customs and religious practices of the community. Mary’s faithfulness and dedication to God seems to provide ample evidence of her having an education that both nourished and informed her faith deeply. Of course for Mary, as for everyone in her society, education also meant learning basic skills – and indeed far more, since the scriptures record that apart from skills like weaving, cooking and sewing, women in fact undertook various tasks in agriculture and worked with textiles, perfumes and practiced as midwives.

But the essence of today is that of faithfulness. Mary’s whole life is given to God and her faithful stance becomes for us not just a key component in the story of our salvation, but a wonderful example to us of how to live our own lives.

Mary teaches us that discipleship knows no bounds, can be active at any age of our lives and that it is founded upon family, upon learning and listening and upon a deep sense of faith in God. Like Mary we are called to be listeners to the Word and to welcome the Word into our own lives so as to live our lives in service of Jesus ‘God with us’.

Fr. Denis Travers, C.P., is the Provincial Superior of Holy Spirit Province, Australia. 

Daily Scripture, June 7, 2011

Scripture: Acts 20:17-27 John 17: 1-11a Reflection: Can you recall your experience of seeing family members or dear friends leaving to return home after a wonderful vacation? The experience for » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, June 6, 2011

  Scripture:  Acts: 19:1-8 John 16:29-33       Reflection: Paul arrives in Ephesus, which at that time was one of the great cities in the region. The ruins of » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, June 5, 2011

Scripture: Acts 1:12-14 1 Peter 4:13-16 John 17:1-11a Reflection: Where is heaven?  When I was a young child I had the idea that Heaven was above and Gehenna was below. » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, June 4, 2011

Scripture: Acts 18:23-28 John 16:23b-28 Reflection: The Father’s Love Jesus’ words today to his disciples pack a "punch":  "The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, June 3, 2011

Scripture: Acts 18:9-18 John 16:20-23 Reflection: Passionists of the Midwest, Southern, Western U.S. gather this week in Detroit for 6 days to discern how the Spirit is leading us to » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, June 2, 2011

  The Ascension of the Lord Scripture: Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:17-23 Matthew 28:16-20   Reflection: Today’s readings presume that the celebration of the feast of the Ascension will occur on » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, June 1, 2011

Scripture:  Acts 17:15, 22-18:1 John 16:12-15 Reflection: As I reflect on the first reading from Acts, I am struck with the similarity of St. Paul’s times to our own.  In » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, May 31, 2011

The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  Scripture: Zephaniah 3: 14-18 Luke 1: 39-56 Reflection: "And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, May 30, 2011

Scripture: Acts 16:11-15 John 15:26-16:4a Reflection: Have you ever seen a drawing of God singing?  I haven’t.  I don’t know of any artist who has ever attempted to show that.  Yet that is » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, May 29, 2011

Scripture: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 1 Peter 3:15-18 John 14:15-21 Reflection: There is a verse from our first reading from Acts (8:5-8, 14-17) that states the answer to every preacher’s dreams. » Continue Reading.

  • « Previous
  • 1
  • …
  • 447
  • 448
  • 449
  • 450
  • 451
  • …
  • 527
  • Next »

Footer

Support the Passionists

Contact the Passionists

Name

The Passionists of Holy Cross Province
660 Busse Highway | Park Ridge, IL 60068
Tel: 847.518.8844 | Toll-free: 800.295.9048 | Fax: 847.518.0461
Safe Environments | Board Member Portal | Copyright © 2025 | Log in