GRACES AND BLESSINGS - B: 2nd Sun in Ord Time (14 Jan 2024)

First Reading: 1 Sam 3:3b-10, 19 (14 Jan 2024)

The name Samuel is dubbed as derived from the Hebrew words shamah (i.e., to hear or listen) and el (i.e., God), leading to the phrase “God listens”.

This definition points at God’s listening to the prayer of Hannah, who had been verbally abused by her husband Elkanah’s other wife Peninnah “who would torment her constantly, since the Lord had closed her womb” (1 Sam 1:6). To this persecution, Hannah would weep, refuse to eat, and go to the house of the Lord to pray (v. 8). Her supplication was “O Lord of hosts, if you look with pity on the hardship of your servant, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life” (v. 11). Meanwhile, the priest Eli witnessed her agony and wished her, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes” (v. 18). Indeed, God was pleased with Hannah as Eli prophesied, granting her request to have a son. Afterwards, “[s]he conceived and, at the end of her pregnancy, bore a son whom she named Samuel” (v. 20).

What is admirable in Hannah is that she never forgot her promise of offering her only begotten son to the Lord.

In fact, her son Samuel was still a mere child who had just been weaned when she brought him to Eli in the Lord’s house in Shiloh (v. 24). Truly moving was Hannah’s prayer of offering: “Excuse me, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am a woman who stood here near you, praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted my request. Now I, in turn, give him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord” (vv. 26-28). Moreover, she even praised God in thanksgiving, singing the words: “My heart exults in the Lord, my horn is exalted by my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in your victory” (2:1).

This is the backdrop of our first reading today, when the young Samuel was called by God. He was actually “sleeping in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God was” (3:3) when the Lord called him (v. 4). He was so attentive to the distinct voice which he had heard that he immediately ran to Eli and replied, “Here I am”. Eli denied that he had called him, ordering him to return to his sleep (vv. 4-5). This phenomenon happened three times before the priest finally realized that it was the Lord calling the young boy. He, then, told Samuel to respond instead to the voice calling him, saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (v. 9), which Samuel faithfully did (v. 10). Soon, when he grew up, he would become a great prophet of the Lord, “who was with him, not permitting any word of his to go unfulfilled” (v. 19).

There are two significant theological insights that should be underscored in our reading today.

First is the value of praying unceasingly to God.

Hannah could easily have given up in her prayer but continued to go instead regularly to the house of the Lord, showing her unwavering faith in him. In most cases, we easily give up and abandon all hopes in God, believing that he would never ever listen to our pleas. Sometimes, the response of God takes time, or at other times, he packages it with a much better gift. But we should always bear in mind that God does listen to our prayer always, true to the name Samuel, i.e., God listens. God listens to everyone who talks to him.

Second is the importance of acknowledging God’s graces, which is best exemplified by Hannah in offering back her son to God, fulfilling her promise to him.

She was very grateful to him and showed it externally, not only by sacrificing Samuel, but in her song of praise and thanksgiving. Many people, nowadays, would only implore on God’s help when in need but forget him at the larger part of his/her human existence especially when no troubles are experienced. We should always remember that our very life is God’s daily gift to us, true to the name Hannah, i.e., God’s gift. God showers us with overflowing blessings that we actually enjoy every minute.

The illustration of the story of Hannah and Samuel’s faith in the Lord challenges us all to keep on praying filled with trust in him, and to always thank him for the bountiful graces we receive.

-       Rex Fortes, CM