SURRENDERING YOUR LIFE TO GOD

20151222 SURRENDERING YOUR LIFE TO GOD

Readings at Mass

First reading

1 Samuel 1:24-28 ©

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.

Canticle

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 ©

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.

SURRENDERING YOUR LIFE TO GOD

SCRIPTURE READINGS: 1 SAMUEL 1:24-28; LUKE 1:46-56

Christmas is coming in just a few days.   At Christmas, we celebrate the gift of Christ to us.  More importantly, we celebrate His birth in our hearts.  You have already been given this existential birth of Christ in your heart during this Advent preparation.  I am sure you have experienced the existential coming of Christ into your lives either in prayer, listening to the Word of God, in worship or with friends.

No greater gift can anyone receive than the gift of Jesus.  When you have Jesus you have everything.  With Jesus, we no longer have to fear tomorrow because His coming to earth at the Incarnation prepares us for His second coming at the end of time when we will share in His glory and majesty.   Indeed, knowing Jesus is to know ourselves.  He has come to give us not just His love and mercy but He has come to give us life.  Reflecting on His life of love and self-giving, we come to discover the meaning and purpose of life which is to live out our adopted sonship in Him, loving and serving the Father in our brothers and sisters.

Having received such a great gift, what must you do?  We must now give ourselves totally to Jesus.  This was what Hannah did.  One can imagine how grateful she must have been to the Lord for giving her a child and taking away her shame of being barren.  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.”  She was ready to give back the child she had weaned all these years to the Lord and she did it willingly and happily.

This was what Mary did with Jesus too.  She gave Him back to the Father and supported Him in His ministry.  Most of all, she shared with Him in His suffering and death on the cross.  Mary offered Jesus to the Father and humanity so that we could be saved through Him.  Mary did not keep Christ, her only son, for herself, but like Jesus, in union with Him, she gave Him up for us all.  For this reason, the gift that she received was not for herself but for us all.  She is indeed truly the mother of Jesus and mother of the Church.

What can we learn from them?  How could they be so generous to give their children to God for His service?  We cannot imagine a mother leaving her son at such a tender age at the Temple.  To be separated from one’s child is the greatest pain for a mother and for the child too.  Thus, it is very difficult to conceive how Hannah could give up her child.  For Mary it was no easier, as she had to see her only Son going through the passion, rejected by the very people He had served totally.  So what is the secret of their utter giving without reservation?

Firstly, they knew that nothing belonged to them.  Everything is from the Lord.  This is what Hannah says, “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.”  Indeed, our God is the Lord of life and death.  He determines and allots to us what we need to fulfill His divine plan on earth.   He gives each one of us our lot.  It is His sovereignty.  Why He makes one richer and another poorer, one with a brilliant mind and one with an average mind, is a mystery.  What is important and fair to all is that no one is deprived of fulfillment in life if he or she gives himself or herself to the vocation that the Lord has chosen for him or for her.

Secondly, we are what we are because of Him.  We must therefore boast of the Lord’s mercy and generosity.  That was the attitude of Mary.  Her divine motherhood was not through her merit but because of God’s mercy and election.  She 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.” Truly, what is there for us to boast since everything that we have and all that we are is due to God’s grace?  St Paul himself wrote, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (2 Cor 10:17)

Thirdly, God is in control of our history.  He gives us strength to overcome our enemies and the challenges of daily life.   He is our strength.  This was the belief of Mary when she sang, “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.  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.”  She depended on God alone.  God is in control of our lives, not us.

Fourthly, God is faithful to us regardless of our sins and infidelity.  “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.”  God does not revoke His promise.  This is what St Paul also said, “As regards the gospel they are enemies of God for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors;  for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Rom 11: 28f)

In the light of this we must remain humble like Mary at His love and mercy.  We must give glory to Him, for God’s wisdom and election is beyond the understanding of us all.  We can only trust Him and say, “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.”

Most of all, we must be grateful like Hannah and Mary.  If we are humbled by His love and mercy and are grateful, we too want to express the joy we have experienced, like Hannah and Mary.  Let us express this gratitude for His love and mercy by doing the same, giving ourselves to the Lord for all the gifts we have received. This is what Jesus taught us. “You received without payment; give without payment.” (Mt 10:8)

You might ask, how and what?  You need to use your talents and resources for the service of God and His people.  The blessings we have received are given to us for others.  We do not keep our resources, wealth and talents to ourselves.  God has blessed us so that we can bless others with what we have received.  So use your talents and whatever you have to serve God, the Church, your brothers and sisters, especially those who most need your services.  Do not only serve for money and self-interest.  Be generous with what you have and the Lord will reward you generously.  This is what St Paul advised, “The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”  (2 Cor 9:6)

Most of all, give them Jesus.  Give your friends and family the best Christmas gift, Jesus. Implicit evangelization through deeds of charity and good works are important.  But there is nothing like direct evangelization, the proclamation of Jesus as savior and Lord.  To give them Jesus is to give them not just material food or things that will pass away.  To give them Jesus is to give them the love of God, peace that the world cannot bring, and eternal life on earth and in heaven.  In the final analysis, Evangelization without mentioning the gift of Jesus to the world is not complete.  So let us not be ashamed to let them know how wonderful this gift of Christ to us and to the world is, for He is the Prince of Peace.

The world wants to celebrate Christmas without Christ. What a shame!   It’s all material celebration, fun and enjoyment but no real peace and joy.  Peace and joy come from within, not without.  Like Mary and Hannah, It is to know that Jesus is our hope and strength that will give us peace and fullness of life, here and hereafter. Peace and joy come from our reconciliation with God and with our loved ones and fellowmen.

Christmas is a celebration of God’s love for us in giving the gift of His son.  So whilst we celebrate this gift of Christ we have received by sharing our love with others in celebration and the giving of gifts, these are only meant to be expressions of our love and giving.  Gifts given or received must not be focused on self but on making others feel loved.  In this way we become the gift of Jesus incarnated to them.  Let us strive to be Jesus’ personal Christmas gift.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

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