Third week in Advent, Friday, Dec.22, 2006

Scripture: I Sam.1:24-28, Psalm: I Samuel 2: 1.4-5.6-8. Luke 1:46-56:

Anna or Hannah, the mother of Samuel, presents him to the Lord at the
shrine of Shiloh in the Northern part of Israel. She prays and possibly
sings a psalm that has gathered many verses from other psalms. Mary, too,
echoes the song of Hannah in her Magnificat but without the military tone
in Hannah's song. Hannah lives during the time of the Judges and the book
named after them where some of the most violent stories are narrated. Both
are praising the Lord for the gift of a son; the one as an older barren
woman and Mary as a young woman who is a virgin. Both women are faithful
and dedicated to God; our opening reading tells us that Hannah dedicated
her son to the Lord. This theme of dedication was my reflection for the
day. I renew this dedication in chapel with my fellow Marianists in our
daily act of dedication or consecration to Mary. It is a time for renewing
my vowed commitment to the mission of Mary to bring Jesus to today's world
in whatever way I am able to do so. The Society of Mary is dedicated to
the person of Mary, the Mother of God. It is important to renew this
dedication at the beginning of the day and then to continue renewing it
throughout the hours of the day. At three o'clock we recite the Three
O'Clock Prayer which recalls our union with Mary and the Beloved Disciple
at the foot of the Cross. We Marianists both lay and religious pray the
following prayer at three o'clock:
Lord Jesus, you were lifted up on the wood of the cross to draw all
people to yourself; you shed your life's blood so that sin might be
forgiven and we might have life to the full. By embracing this holy
mystery, may we become your beloved disciples, accepting from your
outstretched arms your gift of Mary as our Mother. May we learn from her
to treasure and ponder your Cross and Resurrection. With John, our patron
and model, and with Mary, our joy and our hope, may we all be gathered
together around the Tree of Eternal Life. May the Father and the Son and
the Holy Spirit be glorified in all places through the Immaculate Virgin
Mary. Amen.
Later in the day, at Vespers, we pray or sing the Magnificat, the song of
Mary and that too renews our dedication to Mary in her spirit of praise and
her humility. Finally, at the end of the day, in our Church's Night
Prayer, we end with another seasonal hymn dedicated to Mary. During Advent
it is the Alma Redemptoris Mater. (The other hymns are the Salve Regina,
the Regina Caeli, Ave Regina Caelorum or the Ave Maria.
Thus, in the spirit of Blessed William Joseph Chaminade we begin the day in
prayer and end it in prayer. Amen.