Reading 1
1 Sm 1:24-28
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.
1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
Responsorial PsalmR. (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.
Gospel
Lk 1:46-56
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.
Meditation: 1 Samuel 1:24-28
“He shall be dedicated to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 1:28)
At last, God has answered Hannah’s prayer and given her the son she longed for. The shame of her barrenness is wiped away, and now she offers her son back to the God who gave him to her. In a sense, Hannah gives God her first and best: her firstfruits rather than her leftovers. But God can never be outdone in generosity. He rewards Hannah with three more sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).
In the Canon of the Mass, we pray: “From the many gifts you have given us, we offer to you, God of glory and majesty, this holy and perfect sacrifice: the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation.” Like Hannah, we are offering back to God the greatest gift he could ever give us. We are offering the firstfruits of our life in the Spirit.
So just what might a gift of our “firstfruits” look like? It may be parents rejoicing at their only son’s vocation to the priesthood even though it means no grandchildren to carry on the family name. It may mean setting aside our tithe at the beginning of the month instead of waiting to see what’s left over at the end. It may mean setting aside time for prayer when we are most alert rather than waiting until we have accomplished everything else on our list.
It may mean taking bread out of the oven and bringing the first loaf to a shut-in neighbor before it has time to cool. It may mean inviting the stranger who comes to the door asking for money to come in and share a meal instead.
The next time you go to Mass, be sure to bring your “best” to the Lord: your full attention, your love, and, yes, even your concerns. Offer these things to him during the Offertory, and picture him receiving them with open arms and a warm smile. Then, know that you will receive even more blessings back at communion!
“Lord, through your goodness we have this gift to offer. Receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts. Accept this sacrifice for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all the church.”
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