Homily: Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Friday of the Third Week of Advent (1 Samuel 1:24-28) “My Heart Exalts in God My Savior”

We have kind of a redundancy in the scriptures today. Hannah’s song and Mary’s Magnificat have many similarities. We could imagine that the writer of Luke’s gospel was very familiar with Hannan’s words as he wrote Mary’s speech after she encountered her cousin Elizabeth.

Both Hannah and Mary are reacting to the good news that they will bear children that will have a great impact on salvation history. Did they know exactly what was going to happen. We would have to say that these women did not know what their sons would do. They only knew that their pregnancies would be consequential.

Hannah and Mary did know what a prophet was and how important they were. Both women knew what a king was and how they could impact history. Hannah did not give birth to a king, but she was the mother to a prophet who anointed two kings. We could say that Mary gave birth to both a prophet and a king.

These two women did know one thing for certain which was that they had a longing for a different type of world. Both were poor and powerless. The two of them had experienced injustice throughout their life. War and violence occurred all around them. There was suffering caused by the inequalities in society.

Hannah and Mary were not able to read, but they had heard stories about the Day of the Lord. Both knew that one day oppression would cease. These two women lived in a world where there were haves and have nots. And they had a vision of a world of equality. This is what they had prayed for their whole life.

Are we ready for such a world? Right now, the civilians caught in the middle of Gaza long for a world where they can find a haven. The migrants at our southern border want the same. If their prayers are answered, how might our lives change? Are we ready for that?

1.    Do I look at Mary as radical? Why might some see things this way?

2.   Do I meditate on the words of Mary? How might they change my outlook?

 Dear Parishioners,

           Remember the change in the Mass Schedule this weekend. There will be no 8 a.m. daily Mass this Saturday. On the Tuesday after Christmas there will be a Mass at 8 a.m. There will be no 6:30 a.m. Mass.

          Remember that there are Confessions tonight from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. We had a good number of people who came last night. The confessions will be heard in the St. Damien Center.

          May Our Lady pray for us,

          Fr. Mark