Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent

LECTIONARY
198

FIRST READING

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.

PSALM

1 SAMUEL 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8ABCD

Response: 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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

GOSPEL

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.

Daily Reflection

In today’s Gospel, we have the Magnificat. It is also called a song of the poor of Yahweh.

This hymn would have predated the Gospel of Luke and perhaps was sung by the New Testament Anawim - the poor of Yahweh who totally relied on God. Mary, reflecting this spirituality, bursts into song and refers to herself as the lowly handmaid of God. Yet, with the same breath, she recognizes that all generations will call her blessed not because she has done anything but because God has done great things for her.

She lists out the merciful action of God in the History of Israel and highlights the fact that mindful of His mercy and according to promises made to the ancestors, He is sending the promised Messiah. All Israel’s spirituality is personified in the person of Mary.

Am I aware of God’s mercy and action in my life?