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, 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.
1 Samuel 2
Gospel: Luke 1.46-56
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
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.