THE WORD IN ADVENT - 4th TUESDAY

The Advent Task: Abandon yourself at the hands of the Lord 

22nd December, 2015

1 Sam 1: 24-28; Lk 1: 46-56

Two women, two different experiences, but the response is the same: they give praises to the Lord and abandon themselves at the hands of the Lord. That is the task given to us in the few days that remain - to grow in our capacity to abandon ourselves at the hands of the Lord. 

Hannah, cried and begged from the Lord for a child and when she got it, she did not forget the Lord, nor does she possess the gift and leave the Lord. She took that child and gave it back to the Lord. She was ready to abandon her desires and wishes, dreams and longings at the feet of the Lord as she prays today at the Temple. 

Mary had an advantage, she had a forerunner in the person of Hannah. She had already learnt from her formation, how best to respond when calls as such come our way. When the Lord wanted to do mighty things in and through her, she just said: behold, here I am, I abandon myself wholly to your Holy Will. Her greatness shone to the best at that moment when she abandoned herself at the hands of the Lord. Right enough she borrows words from Hannah and makes it her own, singing that greatest canticle of all: My soul magnifies the Lord! 

When we magnify the Lord, our life becomes clear and we see our littleness without fear... we are able to abandon ourselves at the hands of the Lord and say, Here I am, I come to do your will.