Daily Readings - Wed Dec 22 2021
1 Samuel
24And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.25And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.26And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.27For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:28Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
Luke
46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.54He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories of faith, trust, and surrender to God’s will. In the first reading from 1 Samuel, Hannah, who had been barren, fulfills her vow to the Lord by bringing her young son Samuel to the temple at Shiloh. She hands him over to Eli, the priest, dedicating him to God’s service. This act of surrender is rooted in her deep gratitude for the gift of Samuel, whom she had prayed for and promised to lend back to the Lord. Hannah’s prayer reflects her humility and recognition of God’s providence in her life. In the Gospel, we hear Mary’s Magnificat, a beautiful hymn of praise and thanksgiving. Mary, too, recognizes the greatness of God’s work in her life, acknowledging His mercy and the transformative power of His justice. She rejoices in the humility of her state as a handmaid of the Lord, knowing that God’s plan is one of love and redemption for all people.
Both Hannah and Mary exemplify a profound trust in God’s plan, even when it involves surrendering what is dearest to them. Hannah gives up her only son, while Mary accepts the extraordinary and life-altering role of bearing the Son of God. Their stories remind us that true faith is not about holding on to what we have, but about letting go and trusting in God’s goodness. The readings also highlight the theme of humility and the reversal of fortunes—God exalting the lowly and filling the hungry with good things, as Mary so eloquently proclaims. This is a recurring theme in Scripture, one that challenges us to re-examine our own hearts and lives.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to surrender our lives, our plans, and our desires to God’s will? Do we trust Him enough to let go of control and embrace His providence? Like Hannah and Mary, we are called to live with humility and gratitude, recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God. May we, like these two women, magnify the Lord with our lives, trusting that His mercy and love will guide us through all the joys and challenges we face. In doing so, we become instruments of His grace, living out the faith that transforms hearts and changes the world.