“The Lord has filled my heart with joy; how happy I am because of what he has done!” – 1 Samuel 2:1

After years of frustration, Hannah’s prayer for motherhood has finally come to pass. In the Gospel, a pregnant Mary rejoiced with her long-barren cousin Elizabeth, who was also with child. These stories speak strongly to me and my wife.

       Three years ago, our prayer for parenthood had been granted. After failing a fertility procedure and being told there was no way for me and my wife to get pregnant naturally, we found ourselves with child. It was truly a miracle. And when our doctor was calculating the date we conceived, we found out that it happened on December 25, 2011— a Christmas gift indeed. But after eight weeks, the heartbeat of our child suddenly stopped. No reason. No explanation. The miracle was over. The gift that was given was suddenly taken away. “Why?” This question haunted us for a long time.

       But the Lord has promised me that I am destined to be a father. And I am holding on to that promise. And I know, without a speck of doubt in my heart, that I will be proclaiming the same prayers that Hannah and Mary offered God. Orange V. Garcia (orange_garcia@hotmail.com)

Reflection: Do you have a dream that has not come to pass? Do you have a blessing that was suddenly withdrawn from you? Hold on to God’s promise and never doubt that He always delivers.

Lord, teach me to be grateful for the life You have given me — including the frustrations and imperfections. Teach me to continue to believe.

Blessed Jacopone da Todi, pray for us.

Some of the stories in the Scriptures and those associated with the lives of the saints seem too extreme to be true. Hannah, after praying for years for a child and finally having that prayer answered, is willing to give up her child to the service of the Temple even when he is still a mere boy. Her faith in God, to say nothing of her gratitude, must have been enormous.

24 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. 25 After the boy’s father had sacrificed the young bull, Hannah, his mother, approached Eli 26 and said: “Pardon, my Lord! As you live my Lord, I am the woman who stood near you here, praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. 28 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.

R: My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

1 “My heart exults in the Lord, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory. (R) 4 The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength. 5 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. (R) 6 The Lord puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again. 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts. (R) 8 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.” (R)

Mary’s prayer is a prayer of blessing and at the same time a reminder of some of the principles of social justice. She reminds the rich to be wary of their riches lest they be led astray, only to discover they mean nothing in the end. In fact, they may even be excluded from final salvation if they do not use their wealth well.

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

46 Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; 47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior. 48 For he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed. 49 The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. 50 He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. 51 He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. 52 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he remembered his promise of mercy, 55 the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.” 56 Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.

think:  Like Hannah and Mary, let us have faith in God and show our gratitude for all that He has done for us.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Micah 4-7

WHOSE HAND ROCKS YOUR CHILDREN’S CRADLE?

A physician told this story about her then four-year-old daughter. On the way to preschool, the doctor had left her stethoscope on the car seat, and her little girl picked it up and began playing with it. She immediately saw visions of her child in a physician’s garb just like her. “Be still, my heart,” thought the doctor, “my daughter wants to follow in my footsteps!” Then the child spoke into the instrument: “Welcome to Jollibee. May I take your order?” So much for following in her footsteps…

       It’s the law of nature that a mango tree bears only a mango fruit. A guava tree bears only guava fruit. It’s automatic. It happens naturally. The challenge is, this principle goes beyond the automatic laws of nature. Good and well-formed children do not just fall from the sky. Every parent reading this knows that raising good children for the Kingdom of God can be one of the most, if not the most challenging, aspect of parenting.

       Today’s First Reading strikes a very intimate picture of Hannah, mothering her child Samuel beyond biology. Hannah understood that

motherhood continues well beyond giving birth. She makes sure Samuel grows into spiritual maturity as well. She brings Samuel to the Temple and introduces him to Eli who is to become Samuel’s spiritual mentor. In this day and age of technological advancement, the challenge of parenthood has become all the more daunting. I remember reading the story of a boy in Switzerland who watched television for 72 straight hours. He made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. Children in the Philippines are said to be spending their time before the TV at an average of eight to 10 hours a day. That’s more than one third of a day! If they are not in front of the TV, they are in front of the computer screen or the iPad or the iPhone. These technological gadgets have become virtual babysitters.

       It is said that the hand that rocks the cradle is the most powerful hand in the world. But now, it is no longer a hand but a screen. It is no longer a person but a pixel. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Who is rocking the cradle of your children right now? To whom are you more at home with — a person or a screen?

Lord, we thank You for the wonders of technology. Help us to use them well. Help us to realize that technology was made for the service of man, not vice versa.