Shadowing Practice: Today's Catholic Mass Readings — Tuesday, September 8, 2026 | Gospel Reflection - Learn English Speaking with Video
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May the peace of the Lord be with you all, as we bring to you the readings of today's Holy Mass.
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Come, let us now listen to the Word of God.
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September 8, 2026 Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary A reading from the book of the prophet Micah
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The Lord says,
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He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
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They will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
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He will be our peace.
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The Word of the Lord.
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A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
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The Book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.
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Abraham became the father of Isaac.
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Isaac became the father of Jacob.
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Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
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Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar.
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Perez became the father of Hezron.
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Hezron became the father of Ram.
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Ram became the father of Aminadab.
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Aminadab became the father of Nashon.
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Nashon became the father of Salmon.
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Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab.
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Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth.
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Obed became the father of Jesse.
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Jesse became the father of King David.
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David the king became the father of Solomon by Hur who had been Uriah's wife.
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Solomon became the father of Rehoboam.
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Rehoboam became the father of Abijah.
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Abijah became the father of Asa.
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Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat.
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Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram.
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Joram became the father of Uzziah.
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Uzziah became the father of Jotham.
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Jotham became the father of Ahaz.
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Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.
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Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh.
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Manasseh became the father of Amon.
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Amon became the father of Josiah.
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Josiah became the father of Jocaniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
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After the exile to Babylon, Jocaniah became the father of Shialteah.
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Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel B.
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Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud.
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Obiud became the father of Eliakim.
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Eliakim became the father of Azor.
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Azor became the father of Zadok.
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Zadok became the father of Akim.
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Akim became the father of Eliud.
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Eliud became the father of of Eleazar.
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Eleazar became the father of Matthan.
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Matthan became the father of Jacob.
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Jacob became the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
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Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this.
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After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
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Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
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But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David,
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don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
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She shall give birth to a son.
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You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.
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Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
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and shall give birth to a son.
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They shall call his name Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us.
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The Gospel of the Lord Gospel Reflection Today the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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In the liturgy, the Church does not usually celebrate the earthly birthdays of the saints.
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Most often, she celebrates them on the day of their death, the day of their birth into eternal life.
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But with Mary, the Church celebrates her birth because it belongs to God's plan of salvation.
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In her, the dawn of redemption begins to appear.
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From her, the Son of Justice, Christ our God, will rise upon humanity.
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Mary's birth cannot be separated from Christ.
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We do not celebrate her as an independent center, but as the marvelous work of God prepared for the incarnation of His Son.
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Every privilege given to Mary is directed toward Jesus.
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She is chosen, preserved, and sanctified by God in order to become the humble woman who receives the word,
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and through her yes, the Savior, enters human history.
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According to the ancient devotional tradition of the Church, Mary's parents are St. Joachim and St. Anne.
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Tradition also tells us that they endured a time of childlessness and prayed with trust.
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Although these details are not part of the Gospel narrative, the Church treasures this devotional memory because it helps us contemplate a familiar biblical truth.
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Life is a gift from God, and those chosen for a great mission often appear as signs of grace, not merely as the result of human strength.
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In the Old Testament, many births carry a special meaning.
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Isaac, Samuel, John the Baptist.
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These children show that God can open the future where human beings see only closed doors.
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With Mary, the mystery is even deeper.
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She is born not only to receive a personal mission, but to become the mother of the Savior.
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The day of her birth is the day humanity receives a creature wholly belonging to God,
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a woman prepared to say yes on behalf of Israel and on behalf of all humanity awaiting salvation.
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The first reading from the prophet Micah directs our gaze toward Bethlehem.
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But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you, one will come out to me, who is to be ruler in Israel.
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God chooses what is small, to accomplish what is great.
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He does not begin the work of salvation through the noisy power of the world, but through a small town, a humble family, a young woman of Nazareth,
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and a child born in poverty.
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This is God's familiar way of acting.
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He does not despise what is small.
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Rather, He makes the small become the place where His power is revealed.
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Bethlehem is small, yet from it comes the one who will shepherd Israel in the strength of the Lord.
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Nazareth is humble, yet there Mary grows in silence.
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The womb of a humble virgin becomes the place where the Word takes flesh.
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The humility of God passes through places the world easily overlooks.
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The prophet Micah also says that this ruler will stand and shepherd in the strength of the Lord, and that he will be our peace.
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This Word is fulfilled in Christ.
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He is the Good Shepherd, the one who gathers God's people, the peace of humanity.
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But in order for him to come to us, God prepared a mother.
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Therefore, to celebrate Mary's birth is to celebrate a quiet but decisive preparation in the plan of salvation.
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The peace of God is about to be given to the world through the Son born of the Virgin.
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Today's Gospel opens with the genealogy of Jesus.
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To many people, a genealogy may seem like a long list of unfamiliar names, but in the light of faith,
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It is the river of salvation history.
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From Abraham to David, from the exile in Babylon to Saint Joseph,
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God patiently leads his people through generations marked by light and darkness, fidelity and infidelity, glory and failure.
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This history is not perfect, but it is within this history that God prepares the coming of his Son.
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The genealogy of Jesus reminds us that God God does not save humanity from outside history.
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He enters the real history of human beings, with concrete families, concrete lineages, and concrete weaknesses.
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The Son of God does not appear as a figure without roots.
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He is born within a people, a family, and the line of David, so that all the promises of God may be fulfilled.
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At the end of this genealogy, Saint Matthew does not say that Joseph begot Jesus, but that Joseph was the husband of Mary,
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of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
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This way of speaking protects the mystery of faith.
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Jesus truly enters the line of David through Saint Joseph, his legal father.
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Yet, he is born of Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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As the Gospel continues, Mary is betrothed to Joseph, but before they come together, she is found with child, by the Holy Spirit.
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The angel says to Joseph, Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary,
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your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
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Here we see Mary's unique place in the mystery of salvation.
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She is not an accidental figure appearing at the end of the genealogy.
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She is the woman chosen by God, so that the Word may take flesh.
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Her womb becomes the place where heaven and earth meet, where the infinite enters limitation, where God comes to dwell with us.
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The son she carries is called Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
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He is also called Emmanuel, which means God with us.
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For this reason, the birth of Mary is a day of hope.
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Before Jesus is born, God causes his mother to appear in the world.
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Before the sun rises, there is the dawn.
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Mary is that dawn, not because she is the source of light in herself, but because she announces and brings the one who is the true light.
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She is like the gentle morning light that announces the day of salvation, the humble daughter of Zion, in whom God's promise begins to blossom.
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The eastern and western churches have celebrated the nativity of Mary from very early centuries.
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Through the ages, the children of God have rejoiced because Mary's birth is a sign that God has not abandoned humanity.
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In Jerusalem, tradition associates the memory of St. Joachim, St. Anne, and Mary's birth with the area near the Pool of Bethesda,
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where pilgrims still visit the Church of St. Anne.
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These signs lead us into a profound conviction.
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God acts in history, in the family, in silence, and in small beginnings that later bear eternal meaning.
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Contemplating the birth of Mary, we contemplate the wisdom of God.
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He prepares salvation, not in haste, but in fidelity through time.
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He does not impose salvation by outward force, but prepares a free, humble, grace-filled heart.
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From the first moment of her existence, Mary is preserved by God from original sin.
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The privilege of the Immaculate Conception does not separate her from humanity.
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Rather, it makes her the first fruit of redeemed humanity, completely open to God, and completely ready for His work.
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Mary grows up as an ordinary Jewish girl, in family life, prayer, work, listening to the Word of God, and waiting for the promise of Israel.
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This ordinariness is worth contemplating.
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God prepares the greatest event of salvation history in the silence of a small life.
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Mary does not seek extraordinary things for herself.
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She allows God to do extraordinary things through her humility.
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When the hour of the Annunciation comes, her yes is not a sudden isolated act,
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but the fruit of a life accustomed to listening and trusting.
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Today's Gospel also shows us Saint Joseph, the righteous man.
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Joseph's righteousness is not rigid legalism, but obedience in faith.
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He takes Mary into his home, receives the child who is not born of him, and cooperates with God's plan through faithful silence.
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Beside Mary, Joseph shows us that salvation enters the world through people who place God's will above their own plans.
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As we celebrate Mary's birth, we are invited to learn three essential attitudes from her.
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First, humility.
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Mary does not place herself at the center, but always directs us to the Lord.
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The more she is full of grace, the more she becomes the handmaid of God.
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In a world that often tries to assert itself through reputation, power, and self-display, Mary teaches us to let the Lord grow
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and to allow our lives to become places where He is recognized.
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Second, faith that receives the will of God.
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Mary does not understand everything from the beginning.
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She must also walk in the darkness of faith, from Nazareth to Bethlehem, from the manger to Egypt, from hidden life to the foot of the cross.
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Yet she keeps and ponders everything in her heart.
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Her faith is not a faith without trial.
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It is a faith that does not leave God in the midst of trial.
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Third, love that brings Christ to others.
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Mary does not keep grace for herself.
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After the Annunciation, she goes in haste to visit Elizabeth, bringing the joy of the Savior to that household.
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At Cana, she notices the need of the wedding couple and leads people to Jesus.
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Whatever he says to you, do it.
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Mary always brings people to Christ, and through that, joy is restored.
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This is also our path.
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Christians do not celebrate Mary's birthday only with praise, but by imitating her.
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We are called to receive the will of God in our lives, to live in intimacy with Him through the Word,
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the sacraments, and prayer, and then to bring that joy to others.
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Through concrete charity, a family that prays and forgives is a place where Mary is honored.
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A community that welcomes the little, the suffering, and the abandoned is a place where Mary's spirit is present.
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A believer who says yes in hidden duty continues the lesson of Nazareth.
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In today's Mass, we meet Jesus Himself, the Son born of the Virgin Mary,
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the One announced by the prophet Micah as our peace is present in the Word and in the Eucharist.
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The One called Emmanuel still dwells with His Church.
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Mary carried Him in her womb.
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We are invited to receive Him into our hearts in Holy Communion.
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Mary gave Christ to the world.
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We are sent forth to bear witness to Him through lives of love.
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As we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lady, we thank God, because He prepared for humanity a wonderful Mother.
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We praise Mary not in order to stop with her, but to praise God with her, the God who looked upon the lowliness of His handmaid and did great things in her.
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May this feast awaken joy and hope in us.
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God still acts silently.
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He still prepares salvation through small beginnings.
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He still needs hearts that know how to say yes, so that Christ may be born in the world today.
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Let us pray.
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Lord Jesus, today we celebrate the birth of the Virgin Mary, the mother prepared by God to become the dwelling place of the Word made flesh.
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I thank you for the marvelous wisdom you brought about in her.
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You preserved her in grace and made her humble, pure, full of faith, and completely open to the will of God.
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Teach me to imitate her, to receive your holy will in daily life, even when there are things I do not yet understand.
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Help me to live in intimacy with you through your word, the Eucharist, prayer, and faithful love.
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Do not let me keep the joy of faith for myself alone.
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As Mary brought you to Elizabeth, as she led others to you at Cana, help me also to bring your joy, peace, and love to those I meet.
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Lord, make my heart able to say yes, like Mary, so that Christ may grow in my life, and through my life, be made known in the world today.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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We are deeply grateful for your prayers, for sharing our videos with others, and for the support you have generously offered to this mission.
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We also extend our heartfelt thanks to all who have so kindly shared the blessings they have received.
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If today's reflection has touched your heart, we warmly invite you to share this video with your loved ones,
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especially with those who may be in need of hearing the Word of God today.
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Please do not forget to like this video
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and to subscribe to Verbum Dei Catholic Bible if you have not yet done so.
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Thank you and may God graciously bless us all.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Today's Catholic Mass Readings — Tuesday, September 8, 2026”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: father, became, Mary, birth, Jesus. This video has 207 sentences and 2718 words to shadow. The speech runs for 18:29. The speaker talks at a steady 147 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| salvation noun | /sælˈveɪ.ʃn̩/ | The process of being saved, the state of having been saved (from hell). |
| humble adjective | /ˈhʌmbəl/ | Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming. |
| genealogy noun | /ˌd͡ʒiniˈɑlədʒi/ | The descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or ancestors; lineage or pedigree. |
| prophet noun | /ˈpɹɑ.fɪt/ | Someone who speaks by divine inspiration. |
| contemplate verb | /ˈkɑn.təmˌpleɪt/ | To look at on all sides or in all its aspects; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study, ponder… |
| nativity noun | /nəˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/ | Someone's birth considered as a means of astrology; a horoscope associated with a person's birth. |
| shepherd noun | /ˈʃɛpəɹd/ | A person who tends sheep, especially a grazing flock. |
| dwell verb | /dwɛl/ | To live; to reside. |
| humility noun | /hjuːˈmɪlɪti/ | The characteristic of being humble; humbleness in character and behavior. |
| womb noun | /wuːm/ | In female mammals, the organ in which the young are conceived and grow until birth; the uterus. |
| exile noun | /ˈɛɡˌzaɪl/ | The state of being banished from one's home or country. |
| fulfill verb | /fʊlˈfɪl/ | To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.). |
| preserve verb | /pɹəˈzɝv/ | To protect; to keep from harm or injury. |
| flesh noun | /flɛʃ/ | The soft tissue of the body, especially muscle and fat. |
| conceive verb | /kənˈsiːv/ | To have a child; to become pregnant (with). |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come together verb | /ˈkʌm tʊˈɡɛðɚ/ | To assemble; to congregate; to combine. |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. | |
| pass through verb | To go through, to travel through, to transit or lie across a place or from one place to another. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was born · is conceived · might be fulfilled |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | that which is · fulfilled which was · Emmanuel, which is |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has happened · have celebrated · have rejoiced |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “th” sounds: faithful /ˈfeɪθ.fl̩/, earthly /ˈəːθli/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: salvation /sælˈveɪ.ʃn̩/, shepherd /ˈʃɛpəɹd/, flesh /flɛʃ/, devotional /dɪˈvoʊʃənəl/, reflection /ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: genealogy /ˌd͡ʒiniˈɑlədʒi/, nativity /nəˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/, humility /hjuːˈmɪlɪti/, devotional /dɪˈvoʊʃənəl/, intimacy /ˈɪn.tɪ.mə.si/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like salvation, humble, genealogy.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.