Our first reading comes from the first chapter of the First Book of Samuel. The first and second books of Samuel center upon Samuel, the first king of Israel Saul, and Saul’s successor King David. Like many of the significant characters in the Old Testament, Samuel was born of a woman who was barren for many years, who had lost hope of having children. Sara, Rebekah, and Rachel come to mind, as well as Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, whom we heard from in the Gospel from Luke yesterday and last Sunday in our Masses. Samuel’s mother Hannah, complains to God, but does not accept her lot in life. God often listens to the afflicted and responds in abundance beyond what they could have imagined.
God not only gives Hannah a son, but her son is destined to become a special prophet for his people. God often chooses from the ordinary or from those who have no hope. God chose the Virgin Mary, a young woman from a small insignificant town who was not even married yet. God chose Elizabeth, who had been unable to bare a child for many year, reaching into her old age. We hear from Hannah and Samuel today in one of the last days of Advent before Christmas because, in a way, they are seen as precursors to the stories of Elizabeth and her son John the Baptist and Mary and her son Jesus. God calls all of us into service in some way. Each one of us has a vocation through our baptism. Each one of us has a role in building up the kingdom of God here on earth. May we rejoice today, as the day of the birth of our Savior draws ever nearer.
No comments:
Post a Comment