As we come down the homestretch of Advent toward Christmas, it’s good to pause and remember why December 25th is a holy and special day.
The opening prayer says it all: “O God, who seeing the human race fallen into death, willed to redeem it by the coming of your only begotten Son…” In just one line, we recognize our need for a Savior and profess that one has been sent.
The prayer then turns to our response: “…grant, we pray, that those who confess his Incarnation with humble fervor may merit His company as their Redeemer.” That phrase—“confess his Incarnation with humble fervor”—is a powerful reminder of what we strive for in our faith: to proclaim that Jesus, the Son of God, took on our human nature to redeem us, and to do so both humbly and with passion. That balance is not always easy.
Today’s readings give us two wonderful role models: Hannah and Mary, our Blessed Mother. Both are women of deep faith who pray to God, remember His goodness, and respond with gratitude and praise.
In the first reading, Hannah goes to the Temple with her husband and child to offer a bull, flour, and wine as a sacrifice—but more importantly, she offers her son, Samuel, to the service of God. This is her response to God answering her long and heartfelt prayer for a child. She reminds Eli of that prayer and then says with remarkable faith, “Now, I in turn, give him to the Lord…as long as he lives he shall be dedicated to the Lord.”
What a powerful example for mothers and fathers: to thank God for the gift of a child and to entrust that child fully to God’s will, asking that they be guided to live according to it…wherever God leads them.
In the Gospel, Mary prays her Magnificat. She remembers God’s goodness and proclaims, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…for He has looked upon His lowly servant.” She concludes by praising God for His faithfulness: “He has remembered His promise of mercy…to Abraham and his children forever.”
As Christmas approaches, many of us feel pulled from one task to the next, creating a cycle that can leave us anxious, exhausted, and a little short of patience. Hannah and Mary surely had full lives too, but they remained grounded by remembering how God had been—and continued to be—present in their lives.
They were women of prayer, attentive to God’s action…generous in their response, and trusting in His plan. They show us how to slow down, remember, give thanks, and offer ourselves back to God.
My brothers and sisters, may we follow their example this Advent and Christmas season… making time to pray, to remember God’s goodness, and to give generously in return—confessing with humble fervor that Jesus is our Savior who has come to redeem all of mankind.
May God bless you and your families this holy day.
Reverend David S. Marcham is the Vice Postulator for the Cause of Venerable Patrick Peyton, and Director of the Father Peyton Guild, whose members pray for Father Peyton’s beatification and spread his message of the importance of Family Prayer. Prior to becoming a seminarian, Father David was a physical therapist and clinical instructor, serving hospital inpatients and outpatients throughout the greater Boston area for eleven years. In 1998 he heard the call to priesthood and was ordained in the Archdiocese of Boston in 2005. Father David grew up in Quincy, MA, and has fond memories of playing soccer, tennis and running track. You’re never without a friend when Father David is around, as he welcomes everyone into his circle with a smile on his face!
