• 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’
    • 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
    • Celebrating the Season of Creation
  • 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, May 12, 2025

Scripture:

Acts 11:1-18
John 10:1-10

Reflection:

“But a second time a voice from heaven answered, ‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’ This happened three times, and then everything was drawn up again into the sky”

Every time I read this passage from the Acts of the Apostles, I am reminded of a series of annual performance appraisals that I had during my career at a large industrial manufacturing company.  I had worked for a fellow who was conducting the reviews for many years.  Suddenly, one year after giving me good feedback on almost every aspect of the past year’s performance, he paused and added a comment that caught me completely off guard.  He told me, “You do not listen very well.”  I was stunned.  With thirty years of career experience and as many annual performance reviews, no one had ever told me that I was not a good listener.  I was bewildered, confused and actually a bit frustrated in trying to figure out what that meant.  We chatted about the issue on and off for a while as I tried to figure it out.  But as in today’s first reading, the same comment was made in three successive review periods. 

Over the years after my retirement from the same corporation, when reflecting back on my career, I only remember bits and pieces of the many appraisals that I had.  However, the statement that was made about my listening deficiency resonated with me continuously and I am convinced that it changed my life. 

Yesterday was Good Shepherd Sunday.  In today’s gospel with the same theme Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep and calls them by name.  The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.  “The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice.”

Now in the twilight of my years, I question myself about how well I am listening to God’s voice.  Those performance appraisals so many years ago resonate with me every day.  How do I hear God’s voice speaking to me?  Do I hear him in my prayer life?  Do I hear him through family and friends who converse about their own daily joys and struggles?  Do I hear him through the poor and the homeless and the needy and the migrants?  Do I hear him through the awareness of those caught up in human trafficking?  Do I hear him through our Passionist family?  Do I hear him in our daily scripture readings?  Do I hear him through the miracles that he works in our lives every day.  Do I hear him with a wandering mind when I am falling asleep at night?  Do I follow the shepherd’s voice as an obedient sheep even if it brings me to the foot of the cross through my own daily struggles?  Am I really listening?

I wonder if Jesus sat with me today for my annual review, would he still tell me that, “You do not listen very well”?  Dear Lord, as my Good Shepherd, I recognize your voice and that you give me innumerable opportunities to listen to it.  Please help me always to be a good listener.

May the Passion of Jesus Christ be always in our hearts!

Bill Berger has had a lifelong relationship with the Passionist Family.  Bill and his wife, Linda, are currently leaders of the Community of Passionist Partners (CPPs) in Houston, Texas.

Daily Scripture, February 12, 2010

Scripture: 1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19 Mark 7:31-37 Reflection: Evagrius Ponticus, a fourth-century Christian monk, instructed his disciples: "Strive to render your mind deaf and dumb at the time of prayer » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 11, 2010

Scripture: 1 Kings 11:4-13 Mark 7:24-30 Reflection: Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs."  Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go–the demon » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 9, 2010

Scripture: 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 Mark 7:1-13 Reflection: Mothers of young children are accustomed to saying daily, in an automatic fashion, "Wash your hands before we eat" or "Did you » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 7, 2010

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11 Luke 5:1-11 Reflection: Our God is Love.  Sheer love gave birth to a material universe unimaginably extensive.  This universe was » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 6, 2010

Scripture: 1 Kings 3:4-13 Mark 6:30-34 Reflection: Solomon was the second son of David and Bathsheba and the third king of Israel. He ruled for about forty years, expanding the » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 5, 2010

Scripture: Sirach 47:2-11 Mark 6:14-29 Reflection: Over the past two weeks, the Old Testament readings have been journeying with David.  We’ve seen him in his youthful days, through the adventures of his » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 4, 2010

Scripture: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 Mark 6:1-13 Reflection: A Disciple’s Love As Jesus gathered the Apostles together and began to send them out to preach and heal, they must have » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 3, 2010

Scripture: 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17 Mark 6:1-6 Reflection: If I want to follow Jesus and "accept" Him as the Will of the Father guiding my life, then I am willing » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 2, 2010

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Scripture: Malachy 3:1-4 Psalm 24: 7, 8, 9, 10 Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2:22-40 (alt., Luke 2:22-32)   Reflection: Sometimes we struggle to understand » Continue Reading.

Daily Scripture, February 1, 2010

  Scripture: 2 Samuel 15: 13-14, 30; 16:5-13 Psalm 3: 2-3. 4-5, 6-7 Mark 5: 1-20     Reflection: Through the stories in the Book of Samuel, we have been » Continue Reading.

  • « Previous
  • 1
  • …
  • 474
  • 475
  • 476
  • 477
  • 478
  • …
  • 518
  • 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