Scripture
Matthew 1: 18-23
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Ignatian Reflection
The Grace to Be Small
Throughout the Bible, God so often chooses the small, the lowly, the most unlikely, to be instruments of his will. On this feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we see this poignantly. Mary is hardly the main character of today’s Gospel. And to the extent that she is mentioned, it is her apparent shame—an extramarital pregnancy—that is the locus of attention. Today’s is Mary’s day, but she is the unlikely heroine, the small and humble and unexpected one.
How hard this is for me to emulate! I so often want to be the center of attention, to be noticed, to win friends and influence people. Perhaps God’s message for me today is to emulate Mary’s smallness. After all, Jesus himself seems to do so—by making himself so small as to fit inside Mary’s womb. Can I make myself small, like Jesus and Mary? Today I pray for that grace.
—John Stein, SJ, is a Jesuit scholastic of the Midwest Province studying theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Ignatian Prayer
Sep 8, 2026
Prayer
From the desire of being the center of attention, deliver me Jesus.
That others may be praised and I go unnoticed— Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease— Jesus grant me the grace to desire it. Amen.
—Excerpted and adapted from the Litany of Humility by Cardinal Merry del Val
The Daily Examen is a prayer technique developed by St. Ignatius to help us reflect on the events of the day to discern God's presence and direction. When Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus, he required the Jesuits to practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It's a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.
The Examen structure presented below is adapted from a technique described by Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises. Click here for more information from our partners in ministry at Loyola Press.
Daily Examen
1. Become aware of God's presence
God, I believe that at this moment I am in your presence and you are loving me.
2. Review the day with gratitude
God, you know my needs better than I know them. Give me your light and your help to see how you have been with me, both yesterday and today.
3. Pay attention to your emotions
God, help me to be grateful for the moments when people have affirmed me and challenged me. Help me to see how I have responded, and whether I have been kind to others and open to growth.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it
God, forgive me for when I have not done my best or have failed to treat others well. Encourage me, guide me, and continue to bless me.
5. Look toward tomorrow
As I look to the remainder of this day, make me aware that you are with me. Show me how to be the person you want me to be.
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