Word to the Wise
Monday, December 22, 2008 - Monday in the Fourth Week of Advent
[1 Samuel 1:24-28 and Luke 1:46-56]My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed; the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
The scripture today focuses on two happy Moms: Hannah and Mary. Hannah, who has given birth to Samuel (when she had given up hope of having a child), dedicates her son to service in the temple in gratitude. He would become one of the greatest of the prophets. Mary also expresses her own gratitude in the canticle we know familiarly as "The Magnificat" when she goes to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Both Mary and Elizabeth are also the beneficiaries of improbable pregnancies! A little over a week ago, the Vatican published a document about moral questions raised by advances in reproductive technologies. Although it is couched in technological language, there are phrases here and there that show concern for parents who have not been able to conceive a child and seek the assistance of modern medicine to make conception possible. The subject is much too big and complicated for this space, but I could not help but think of those who are in that difficult and anguished predicament. A season that celebrates birth can be a poignant and difficult time for them. Samuel, John the Baptist and Jesus are all "improbable" children. They truly represent instances of the line from the angel Gabriel: "For nothing can be impossible with God." We can be grateful for God's "possibilities" in this season even as we pray for those whose desire for a child may be someday be fulfilled. AMEN (Note: The Order of Preachers (Dominicans) was founded on this day in 1216!)