1/10/12 – Homily for Tuesday of first week in ordinary time – 1 Samuel 1:9-20 -

       We begin ordinary time today right after our Christmas season by hearing the wonderful story of the prophet Samuel in our first reading.  There is so much we can take away from the story of Hanna & the birth of Samuel.  Hanna shows a great deal of self-reflection & self-knowledge.  She is unafraid to share her true feelings with God, praying & weeping in her bitterness.  Hanna tells the priest Eli very frankly: “I am an unhappy woman.”  Hanna feels that she will live a more complete & fulfilled life with the gift of a son whom she can raise to be a religious leader & prophet for Israel. Hanna tells Eli: “Do not think your handmaid is a ne’er-do-well; my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.”  Are we willing to be as honest & frank as Hanna is with God, to trust Him with our true feelings & emotions, to let him know when we are angry or jealous?  God listens to Hanna's prayers & she conceives a son, Samuel, whom she nurtures and guides in order to serve God & the community. 

         I remember that when I was serving as St Richard as the associate pastor, a group of us were talking about getting a young religious sister who works in northeast Mississippi to come to speak to our youth & to our adult Sunday school group on a Sunday morning.  When I mentioned her to this Sunday school group, some of our parishioners were astounded that there are still young religious sisters around today.  Just a generation or two ago, any Catholic family would have seen a son or daughter dedicating themselves to the priesthood or to the religious life as one of the greatest blessings from God, similar to the way Hanna willingly offers her son to the service of God & his people.  What has happened to our society when such vocations are considered rare & cutting edge, rather than something each Catholic family tries to foster in its children?

            Thank you God for Hanna, for all the parents who nurture their children for their true vocations in life, whatever those vocations may be.  May we continue to foster vocations in our families & in our community of faith.