Good News Reflection
Wednesday of the 4th week of Advent
December 22, 2010
Available as a Good News Ministries Podcast:
http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts
Today's Readings:
1 Samuel 1:24-28
1 Samuel 2:1, 4-7, 8abcd
Luke 1:46-56
http://www.usccb.org/nab/122210.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_12_22.mp3
The Gift of Your Magnificat
Notice the similarities between the mother of Samuel (today's first reading) and themother of Jesus. Both gave birth to very special sons who would become priests, prophets and great leaders of the people. Both made the greatest and most difficult sacrifice of love – giving up their sons – so that God could work through them. And both experienced tremendous joy from the Lord.
Do you have the same joy that Mary expressed in the Magnificat (today's Gospel reading)?
Although Hannah had spent many years praying to receive a child from God, she sacrificed the gift back to God. And thus her boy became one of Israel's greatest priests. It was he who anointed (ordained) Israel's first king, Saul, and later anointed David to replace Saul.
Do you recall the eventual results of Samuel's ministry? Jesus the Messiah came from the line of David!
Mary also sacrificed her gift back to God, first when he left home to begin his ministry and then most painfully on the cross. And if she hadn't? If she had kept Jesus all to herself?
Why do we keep for ourselves the gifts that God has given us? Through the talents and personalities that he created in us, he's given us our incomes, our homes, and our stuff. He's also given us our time and our children. But how generous are we with these blessings? We open ourselves to the gift of God’s love to the same extent we share our gifts with others because we love them.
Blessings are always multiplied when we share them: What blesses us can also bless others beyond what we can imagine. This in turn blesses God.
How willing are we to sacrifice our time or money for the sake of God's kingdom? How many children would become priests or consecrated religious if not for their parents influencing them to marry and give them grandchildren?
It's not a sacrifice if it's easy, but oh! The wonderful blessings it produces! How awesome to participate in God's plans.
Would you like your whole being to proclaim the greatness of the Lord? Do you want your spirit to find joy in God your savior? Do you want to leave such a loving mark on this world that later generations will call you blessed? Would you like to know God as a mighty one who does great things for you?
Mary's Magnificat can be our song, too, if we let go of our own plans and agendas, or when we move away from relationships or jobs that work against our friendship with God, or if we break away from the addictions that have become our god, or if we give up TV shows that glorify immorality so we can spend more time loving God in prayer, or if we put aside worldly novels to read spiritual books, or if we donate more of our money to the Church and to the poor and to faith-based ministries.
The more effort it requires to love sacrificially, the more you have entered into the love of Jesus, who blesses the world through you.
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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