December 22, 2020
Tuesday of the Fourth
Week of Advent
Lectionary: 198
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
R. (see 1a) 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.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O King of all
nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man,
whom you formed from the dust!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.
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Notice the similarities between the mother of Samuel (in today's first reading) and the mother of Jesus. Both gave birth to very special sons who would become priests, prophets and great leaders of the people. Both mothers made the greatest and most difficult sacrifice of love - giving up their sons - so that God could work through them. And both experienced tremendous joy from the Lord.
Do you have the same joy that Mary expressed in the Magnificat (in today's Gospel reading)?
Although Hannah had spent many years praying to receive a child from God, she sacrificed the gift back to God. And thus her boy became one of Israel's greatest priests. It was he who anointed (ordained) Israel's first king, Saul, and later anointed David to replace Saul.
Do you recall the eventual results of Samuel's ministry? Jesus the Messiah came from the line of David!
Mary also sacrificed her gift back to God, first when he left home to begin his ministry and then most painfully on the cross. And if she hadn't? If she had kept Jesus all to herself?
Why do we keep for ourselves the gifts that God has given us? Through the talents and personalities that he created in us, he's given us our incomes, our homes, and all our stuff. He's also given us our time and our children. But how generous are we with these blessings? In faith, we are free to be generous; how strong is our faith? Faith open us to the gift of God's love to the same extent we share our gifts with others because we care about them.
Blessings are always multiplied when we share them: What blesses us can also bless others beyond what we can imagine. This in turn blesses God.
How willing are we to sacrifice our time or money for the sake of God's kingdom? How many children would become priests or consecrated religious if not for their parents influencing them to marry and give them grandchildren?
It's not a sacrifice if it's easy, but oh! The wonderful blessings it produces! How awesome to participate in God's plans.
Would you like your whole being to proclaim the greatness of the Lord? Do you want your spirit to find joy in God your savior? Do you want to leave such a loving mark on this world that later generations will call you blessed? Would you like to know God as a mighty one who does great things for you?
Mary's Magnificat can be our song, too, if we let go of our own plans and agendas, or when we move away from relationships or jobs that work against our friendship with God, or if we break away from the addictions that have become our god, or if we give up TV shows that glorify immorality, or if we put aside worldly novels to read spiritual books, or if we donate more of our money to the Church and to the poor and to faith-based ministries.
The more effort it requires to love sacrificially, the more you have entered into the faith life that releases the love of Jesus, who blesses the world through you.
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God Bless You.....
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