Hannah was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish.

So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying,

“Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

1 Samuel 1:9-20

After they had eaten

And drunk in Shiloh, Hannah stood up not farfrom Eli, the priest whose seat was beside the doorpost of Yahweh’s house. Deeply distressed she wept and prayed to Yahweh and made this vow: “O Yahweh of Hosts, if you will have compassion on your maidservant and give me a son, I will put him in your service for as long as he lives and no razor shall touch his head.”

As she prayed before Yahweh, Eli observed the movement of her lips. Hannah was praying silently; she moved her lips but uttered no sound and Eli thought Hannah was drunk. He, therefore, said to her: “For how long will you be drunk? Let your drunkenness pass. “

But Hannah answered :”No, my lord, I am a woman in great distress , not drunk. I have not drunk wine or strong frink, but I am pouring out my soul before . Yahweh. Do not take me for a bad woman. I was so afflicted that my prayer flowed continuously.

”Then Eli said,”Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you asked for.” Hannah answered,” Let your maidservant deserve your kindness.” Then she left the temple; and when she was at table she seemed a different woman.

Elkanah rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh with his vives. Then they went back home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with his wife, Hannah, Yahweh took compassi on  her, and she became pregnant. She gave birth to a son and called him Samuel because she said:”I have asked Yahweh to give him to me.”

 

1 S 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊  

Mark 1:21-28

 They went into the town of Capernaum and Jesus be­gan to teach in the synagogue during the sabbath assem­blies. The people were astonished at the way he taught, for he spoke as one having authority and not like the teachers of the Law.

It happened that a man with an evil spirit was in their syna­gogue and he shouted, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: You are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus faced him and said with authority, “Be silent and come out of this man!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and, with a loud shriek, came out of him.

 All the people were astonished and they wondered, “What is this? With what auth­ority he preaches! He even orders evil spirits and they obey him!” And Jesus’ fame spread throughout all the country of Galilee.

 

 Authenticity in authority

A cardinal ingredient of authority. We meet two such people in today’s readings. Jesus, who is authenticity incarnate, talks and acts with authority – he teaches with authority and casts out evil forces with authority.

His authenticity is so great that the evil spirits acknowledge him to be who he is and obey him. The other person of authenticity we meet is Hannah who pours out her soul before the Lord and from whom prayer flows as continuously as her very breath.

She is bold enough to defend herself before suspicious Eli, who in turn, recognizes her authenticity and blesses her. If the authority of Jesus comes from his authenticity as God, the authority of Hannah comes from her authenticity as a woman of faith standing before God.

those who do not claim their rightful authenticity and authority before God and the world can only sit around and get astonished.