Daily Reading for Friday, December 22nd, 2023

Reading 1, First Samuel 1:24-28

²⁴ When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, as well as a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and took him into the temple of Yahweh at Shiloh; the child was very young.

²⁵ They sacrificed the bull and led the child to Eli.

²⁶ She said, 'If you please, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to Yahweh.

²⁷ This is the child for which I was praying, and Yahweh has granted me what I asked of him.

²⁸ Now I make him over to Yahweh for the whole of his life. He is made over to Yahweh.' They then worshipped Yahweh there.

Responsorial Psalm, First Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8

¹ Hannah then prayed as follows: My heart exults in Yahweh, in my God is my strength lifted up, my mouth derides my foes, for I rejoice in your deliverance.

⁴ The bow of the mighty has been broken but those who were tottering are now braced with strength.

⁵ The full fed are hiring themselves out for bread but the hungry need labour no more; the barren woman bears sevenfold but the mother of many is left desolate.

⁶ Yahweh gives death and life, brings down to Sheol and draws up;

⁷ Yahweh makes poor and rich, he humbles and also exalts.

⁸ He raises the poor from the dust, he lifts the needy from the dunghill to give them a place with princes, to assign them a seat of honour; for to Yahweh belong the pillars of the earth, on these he has poised the world.