Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 22, 2025
First Reading: 1 Samuel 1.24-28
24And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. And the child was young.25Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.26And she said, "Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD.27For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.28Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD."And he worshiped the LORD there.
1 Samuel 2
Gospel: Luke 1.46-56
46And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;49for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.50And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;52he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;53he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,55as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Sermon
Today's readings present us with two women of profound faith, Hannah and Mary, both responding to God's miraculous intervention in their lives. In the first reading, Hannah, having been granted her petition for a son, faithfully brings young Samuel to the house of the Lord at Shiloh, dedicating him to God's service, just as she had promised. Her act is one of ultimate gratitude, returning the precious gift back to its divine source. Similarly, in the Gospel, Mary, having conceived by the Holy Spirit, responds to her cousin Elizabeth's greeting with the magnificent Magnificat, a joyful hymn of praise. She extols God for looking with favor on her lowliness, for doing great things for her, and for His everlasting mercy that exalts the humble and fills the hungry.
Both Hannah and Mary stand as testaments to God's faithfulness and His unique way of working through the humble. Hannah’s sacrifice of her long-awaited son is not a loss, but an act of profound trust that places Samuel within God’s greater plan for Israel. Mary’s song, while deeply personal, is also a prophetic declaration of God’s justice, celebrating His power to overturn human hierarchies, scattering the proud and lifting up the lowly. Their responses are deeply personal yet universal, demonstrating how divine grace calls for a response of dedication and praise, reminding us that God often chooses the unassuming to accomplish His greatest works and to fulfill His ancient promises.
What do these women teach us for our own lives? They invite us to reflect on our own gratitude for the blessings God bestows, and how we, in turn, dedicate our gifts—our children, our talents, our very lives—back to Him. When God grants us a petition, or calls us to an unexpected service, do we respond with Hannah’s profound sacrifice and trust, or Mary’s exuberant praise and humble acceptance? We are called to cultivate a heart that magnifies the Lord, recognizing His hand in our daily lives, trusting that He continues to do great things through the humble and to fulfill His promises of mercy from generation to generation.