20251222 PRAISE AS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO GOD’S WONDERS
22 December 2025, Monday, 4th Week of Advent
First reading |
1 Samuel 1:24-28 |
This is the child I prayed for: he is made over to the Lord.
When Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’
There she left him, for the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm |
1 Samuel 2:1,4-8 |
My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.
My heart exults in the Lord.
I find my strength in my God;
my mouth laughs at my enemies
as I rejoice in your saving help.
My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the weak are clothed with strength.
Those with plenty must labour for bread,
but the hungry need work no more.
The childless wife has children now
but the fruitful wife bears no more.
My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.
It is the Lord who gives life and death,
he brings men to the grave and back;
it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.
He brings men low and raises them on high.
My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.
He lifts up the lowly from the dust,
from the dungheap he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes
to give him a glorious throne.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
on them he has set the world.
My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.
Gospel Acclamation |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Root of Jesse,
set up as a sign to the peoples,
come to save us
and delay no more.
Alleluia!
Or: |
Alleluia, alleluia!
King of the peoples
and cornerstone of the Church,
come and save man,
whom you made from the dust of the earth.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 1:46-56 |
The Almighty has done great things for me
Mary said:
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
PRAISE AS AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO GOD’S WONDERS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 SAMUEL 1:24-28; LUKE 1:46-56]
Both Scripture readings today offer a similar message: the kindness and greatness of God in responding to the needs of the poor and of His people beyond all imagination and expectation. The wonderful story of the birth of Samuel to a mother whose womb was once closed but later opened through sincere and fervent prayer reveals to us God’s mercy and power to bring about what is impossible for human beings. This story of Samuel’s birth parallels the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary, who was a virgin. In this case, Mary did not ask for a child, but God graced her not only with a child, but with the Child: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Lk 1:32-33). Such wonders that God accomplishes should certainly lead us to praise.
Praise is distinct from thanksgiving and gratitude, although they are interrelated. Praise focuses on the wonder of who God is and what He has done for us and for humanity. It is centred on God and His actions rather than on ourselves. Consequently, we must learn from Hannah’s hymn of praise, which we prayed in the Responsorial Psalm, and from Mary’s Magnificat, as both respond to God’s work in their lives. Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked upon the lowliness of his handmaid.” This is why this prayer is called the Magnificat in Latin. In other words, we are magnifying the greatness of God. Such surprising divine interventions bring great joy.
Beyond what God has done for them, what are the implications of His favours and interventions in our lives? The truth is that God does not bless a person merely for that person’s sake. When God blesses or chooses someone, it is always for a greater purpose and mission. When God gives us blessings or empowers us, it is so that we may serve Him and the rest of humanity. This is true not only for Hannah and Mary but also for their children, Samson and Jesus. God, in His wisdom and mercy, acts in such a way that His plan is realised even when human selfishness and wickedness seek to thwart the fulfilment of His divine purpose.
How did this happen in the miraculous conception and birth of Samson and Jesus? First, we magnify God for exalting the lowly.The Magnificat proclaims, “He has shown the power of his arm; he has routed the proud of heart.” Similarly, Hannah declared, “He lifts up the lowly from the dust, from the dungheap he raises the poor to set him in the company of princes to give him a glorious throne.” These words signify God’s power in overcoming the greatest of all sins — the sin of pride — which led to the fall of our first parents and of the devils as well. When we are proud, we think too highly of ourselves and become insolent and self-sufficient, believing that we can do everything on our own. Indeed, human beings often come to know the power of God in weakness — when they face limitations in life or experience crises of helplessness, whether through illness, failure, or loss. Such situations humble the proud and make them aware of their finiteness and of God’s greatness. Those who refuse humility bring about their own downfall, for without childlike dependence on God, they cannot be saved.
Secondly, God is praised for using His power to transform the social and political order. “He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.” The world often exalts those who hold power, yet Mary and Hannah are perfect examples of how God raises the humble to greatness in service and love. God will ultimately vindicate the weak and the innocent, causing the righteous to reign in place of the proud and the wicked. Only those who obey the Lord, like Mary and Hannah, will be exalted. Those who fail to proclaim the greatness of the Lord and sanctify His name will be regarded as least in the Kingdom of God. Mary and Hannah, in their humility before God, were raised up by Him. Indeed, Mary begins her prayer by acknowledging God’s initiative in willing for her to play a part in our salvation: “for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.” Truly, God alone makes all things possible, and every blessing and gift comes from Him. Above all, the divine Lord chose to come as a human being — like us in all things except sin — so that He might share our lowliness and lead us to His glory. Jesus, the Son of God, comes as the Son of Man to share our human lowliness and so can lead us to His glory.
Thirdly, we praise God for His mercy and love for the poor and the marginalised. Mary proclaims, “The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.” Hannah echoes this: “The bows of the mighty are broken, but the weak are clothed with strength. Those with plenty must labour for bread, but the hungry need work no more. The childless wife has children now, but the fruitful wife bears no more.” The Gospel of Christ seeks to uplift the poor and the oppressed. God has a special love for the hungry and the lowly. We must never forget that the preferential option of the Gospel is directed primarily to those who are spiritually, emotionally, and materially poor. For this reason, Jesus Himself was born poor, laid in a manger. It was the shepherds, not kings or royalty, who first came to worship Him, though the wise men too recognised Him. Christianity seeks to build a fairer, more just, caring, and sharing society — a community where people care for one another rather than living only for themselves. This is also a reminder not to cling excessively to wealth, which can easily be lost if not used for the good of others.
Fourthly, God is praised for His fidelity to the covenant: “He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy — according to the promise he made to our ancestors — of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” In these words, Mary speaks not only for herself but for her people. They are words of praise for God’s faithfulness. God is worthy of all praise for what He has done and continues to do for His people. He never abandoned Israel, even when they were unfaithful to Him. More importantly, this promise extends beyond Abraham’s physical descendants to all who have faith in God. This includes all Christians and, by extension, all people of sincere faith who acknowledge God’s sovereignty.
In light of God’s greatness and mercy, we may ask ourselves: what shall we render Him in thanksgiving? Praise naturally leads to thanksgiving. As we contemplate God’s greatness and love, we cannot help but feel gratitude for His blessings. Thanksgiving comes from a heart of gratitude. So, more than just praising God and thanking Him for all that He has done for us, the question we should ask is, “What more can we do besides words and feelings of gratitude in our hearts?”
We are called to share our praise and blessings with others. We must begin by witnessing to God by glorifying Him through our praise, words, and prayers. This is what Mary and Hannah did first. We must testify to God’s goodness and give Him glory for all that He has done for us. Many of us do not testify to God. When we receive His blessings or divine intervention, we keep to ourselves instead of magnifying Him so that others who lack faith and hope might find inspiration and encouragement by our testimony. At the same time, we should create opportunities for people to share how God is at work in their lives. While the Eucharistic celebration perfectly offers adoration, praise, and thanksgiving, it does not have space for such personal testimonies apart from the proclamation of the Word.
Finally, praise and thanksgiving must be expressed concretely through a changed way of life. Like Hannah and Mary, we must be willing to offer ourselves and the gifts God has given us in service to others and for the glory of His name. Only when we live lives of humility, gratitude, and service will others recognise that we have truly been touched by God. Let us therefore demonstrate our faith and trust in God by surrendering our own plans, as Mary did, and embracing God’s will. We must be ready to offer our service to the Lord whenever He calls us — whether in ministry or in the particular vocation He has entrusted to us.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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