THE ALMIGHTY HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR ME

WEDNESDAY FORTH WEEK IN ADVENT YEAR C

PRAYER BEFORE HOLY MASS  Act of Love before Mass 

O my God, I love Thee with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength and with no other desire than to be inseparably united to Thee. It is through Thy Divine Son that this union is about to be realized within me. In Holy Communion I long to identify myself with Him, that it will no longer be myself, but Him, who lives in me; and when I have received Jesus within myself, then I shall love and be loved by Thee in that same measure, in which I am united to Him. Hasten then, to give me Thy Divine Son, at the hands of Thy priest, that through Jesus, I may unite myself forever to Thee, O God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Readings Lectures Reflection

First Reading  Samuel 1:24-28

This is the child I prayed for: he is made over to the Lord

When Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’   There she left him, for the Lord.

 

Responsorial Psalm

My heart exult in the Lord my Saviour

 

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

King of the peoples

and cornerstone of the Church,

come and save man,

whom you made from the dust of the earth.

Alleluia!

 

Gospel Luke 1:41-46

 

The Almighty has done great things for me

Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid. Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him. He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart. He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy – according to the promise he made to our ancestors – of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’ Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

My heart exults in the Lord.   I find my strength in my God; my mouth laughs at my enemies as I rejoice in your saving help. The bows of the mighty are broken,   but the weak are clothed with strength. Those with plenty must labour for bread,   but the hungry need work no more. The childless wife has children now   but the fruitful wife bears no more. It is the Lord who gives life and death, he brings men to the grave and back; it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.  He brings men low and raises them on high. He lifts up the lowly from the dust,  from the dung heap he raises the poor to set him in the company of princes   to give him a glorious throne. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, on them he has set the world. 1 Sam. 2:1,4-8

Lord Jesus I trust in you. Pray the Holy Rosary. Saint Joseph pray for us.