Advent, 22nd December, Wednesday
1 Sam 1:24-28 / Luke 1:46-56
Hannah takes Samuel to the Temple; Hannah dedicated Samuel to God.
Samuel grew up to give Israel leadership at a time when she
needed it most. He served as a “bridge man” between the Era of the Judges
***
How great is our trust in God? "Trust in the LORD. Have
faith, do not despair. Trust in the LORD." Psalm 27:14
***
Today is a celebration of thanks to the Lord, who does great
things to humble people who trust in God. In the Old Testament Hannah gives
thanks to God because he has given her a son. She dedicates him to God. Samuel
will be a very great prophet of the Lord. And Mary, a young, humble, unassuming
girl boldly sings out her joy and thanks to God who will upset the world’s
values through Jesus, the Son to be born from her. With Hannah and Mary we sing
out our joy and thanks to God.
***
Put down the mighty from their thrones and lift up the
downtrodden! This is the war-cry of revolution. Revolution doesn’t mean a
change of fashion, it means a violent upheaval in society. Or as Mao Tse-tung
wrote in 1927, “A revolution is not the same as inviting people to dinner, or
writing an essay, or painting a picture…. A revolution is an insurrection, an
act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”
I misquoted the Magnificat at the beginning. Mary did not
say, “Put down the mighty…” but “God has put down the mighty….” That is the
greatest difference between the two revolutions. The number one disciple,
Peter, had chosen the way of violence, he was already using his sword, when
Jesus said, “Put your sword back into its scabbard” (Jn 18:11).
***
Mary’s Magnificat describes God’s favours bestowed on her as
an individual and on Israel as a nation. Marian devotion is belittled and
protested against by many non-Catholics who accuse us of idol worship and of
raising Mary to the status of a goddess. Mary never claimed any special status
other than her lowliness, her humiliation in being a woman. But then she
acknowledged the way God erased this lowliness and humiliation by selecting her
for the most precious role of being the Mother of God. Besides, Jesus on the
cross gave his mother to be the mother of all humanity. Today, while Mary
continues to mother us through her intercession, we her children continue our
devotion to her, fulfilling her prophecy: “…From now on all generations will
call me blessed.” How convinced are we in our devotion to our Lady?
***
Prayer
God of the little ones, with Mary we rejoice and give you
thanks that you let Jesus Christ become one of us and let him bring us the
dignity of your sons and daughters. May we live up to that dignity and to the
joy that says that we are deeply loved by you. Like you, may we also learn to
care for all that is little and brittle and bring your justice to the poor through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen