First reading 1 Samuel 1:24-28
This is the child I prayed for: he is made over to the Lord.
When Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’
There she left him, for the Lord.
Responsorial 1 Samuel 2:1,4-8
My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.
My heart exults in the Lord.
I find my strength in my God;
my mouth laughs at my enemies
as I rejoice in your saving help.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the weak are clothed with strength.
Those with plenty must labour for bread,
but the hungry need work no more.
The childless wife has children now
but the fruitful wife bears no more.
It is the Lord who gives life and death,
he brings men to the grave and back;
it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.
He brings men low and raises them on high.
He lifts up the lowly from the dust,
from the dungheap he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes
to give him a glorious throne.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
on them he has set the world.
Gospel Luke 1:46-56
The Almighty has done great things for me
Mary said:
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
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God who helps His people
In the Magnificat, Mary praised God for all He had done for her. She recognised that He had looked kindly on her, His lowly servant. For the rest of her song of praise, Mary celebrated the work God had done for the people of Israel. She recognised God’s active and loving presence in the history of humanity. He defends the lowly and feeds the hungry. He shows strength by pulling down the powerful and wealthy by removing their arrogance and teaching them to love their neighbours and work for justice and truth.
In this prayer time, let us praise God for the good work He has done in our lives. We often focus on our mistakes and failures and forget to welcome the good things He is doing in us. At the same time, let us rejoice that we have a God who is close to us and works for the good ofall. Today, may we commit to collaborating with God to help build a just society and work for the good of all.
Reflective question:
How can I allow the loving power of God to work in and through me?
How can I allow the loving power of God to work in and through me?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
