Let us praise good and holy women.
In today's NO readings, there are two women who praise God in the custom of the Hebrews, a prayer which is a psalm.
The psalm has a form, which is set and which would have been accompanied always by music. That Hannah's prayer pre-dates David is no problem, as 500 to 450 years before, Miriam, Moses' sister also composed a psalm-like prayer and led the people in prayer as illustrated in the painting above. The song she composed under the influence of the Holy Spirit may be found in Exodus 15:1-19. Miriam is a personal patron and from her name comes Mary, meaning, bitter, or one who can endure much sorrow. I am well-named.
David perfected the mode. There are psalms which are hymns, thanksgiving, those which may be called royal, as referring to the king, and complaints, both personal and national. Within these categories, there are forms. I shall just look at the general form, and thanks to my excellent Old Testaments professors, I could bring all this to the reading of Scriptures in my daily prayer. Thank you, Father Roger Mary McCarrick and others of the Marist Order, who taught me undergraduate theology.
The psalm starts off with a thanksgiving and invocation to God. Then, the psalmist either launches into a petition and intercessions for troubles, or a praise of God for the answer to prayers and deliverance from evil. The psalm usually ends with more praise.This is a gross over-simplification, but one to get you started.
Some of the psalms have rhetorical devices, such as refrains and sacred number games.
These two women, Our Blessed Lady and Hannah, the mother of the great prophet Samuel, who anointed David, use similar outlines in their inspired prayers. Take a look at those today, if you have not been to Mass, or even if you have.
Of course, I love Hannah, as she wanted a child and I only had a one-third chance of having a baby owing to problems earlier in my life. Her story is in the Book of Samuel, chapter one. Like all mothers who are thrilled with a pregnancy long wanted, she represents a pro-life stand. Her name, meaning grace, is the same as Anna, or Anne or Ann, one of my personal patrons. So we have three women, of which two have the same name and one is the name of the mother of the Blessed Virgin. No accidents in Scripture or Salvation History...
We have these readings to celebrate mothers, child-bearing and to show the connection between two babies, one the Messiah and one a prophet of the Messiah, long awaited and loved.
God bless all mothers and all babies today, especially.
