First Reading: 1 Samuel 1:24-28
In those days,
Hannah brought Samuel with her,
along with a three-year-old bull,
an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine,
and presented him at the temple of the LORD in Shiloh.
After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull,
Hannah, his mother, approached Eli and said:
“Pardon, my lord!
As you live, my lord,
I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
She left Samuel there.
Responsorial Psalm: 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8ABCD
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich,
he humbles, he also exalts.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
Gospel: Luke 1:46-56
Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.
I do not know about you, but I have a difficult time articulating the sense of peace, praise, and love that fills my entire being and electrifies my soul when reading the Canticle of Mary.
It is as if my soul recognizes this hymn of praise, sung throughout the ages. My skin tingles. My eyes fill with tears. My arms lift to the sky.
Age to age, she sings to me, reminding me to be the servant and praise His name above all others.
Mary was just like me. She was a woman who loved God. But unlike me, she wholly and completely trusted the plan of the Lord and free from sin. I have enough trouble quieting my own thoughts to allow God to whisper to my heart.
I think she knew my heart. And the hearts of all God’s children. It is difficult to praise when we suffer and even harder to understand why we should endure what we do. But she called us to remember that He raises the needy. He makes poor and He makes rich. He humbles. He exalts. He formed us from the dust itself. She sung this praise for all of us. For me. For you. For us to remember and for us to also believe as she did.
What unshakable faith. What enduring love. What everlasting belief.
He humbles. He exalts. He formed us from the dust itself.Click to tweet
She believed in the promises of the Lord and she was blessed.
Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife, mom, and dentist currently living in the Bay Area, California. You can find out more about her here.
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