Listen to Our Mothers

1 Samuel 2:1-10
 Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn[a] is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
    for I delight in your deliverance.
There is no one holy like the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.
Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
    and by him deeds are weighed.
The bows of the warriors are broken,
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
​Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.
The Lord brings death and makes alive;
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
    he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.
For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
It is not by strength that one prevails;
    those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
He will give strength to his king
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Luke 1:46-55
 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me--
    holy is his name.His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

The uncomfortable fact is, women rarely get a voice in the Bible. The uncomfortable fact is, Creation rarely gets a voice in the world. Today, however, we celebrate two of the longest written Scriptures quoting women in the Bible: Hannah’s prayer and Mary’s song.

Both mothers, human and Creation, have experienced deep sorrow. They know what it is like to be barren. They know what it is like to create life and yet be ignored. They know what it is like to try to bring change and goodness, only to be silenced. They know what it is like to be used and mocked.

In Hannah’s prayer, we learn of a woman who has been barren for years yet remained faithful to God. Year after year, Hannah went to Shiloh to make sacrifices, praying fervently for a child, despite being mocked by her husband's other wife. Then, one day, she prays with such intensity that she attracts the attention of the priest Eli, who blesses her prayer. She finally bears a son and dedicates him to the Lord. After this dedication, Hannah prays.

In Mary’s song, we also learn of a woman who miraculously became pregnant. Mary, a virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit with the Son of God. Mary gives Jesus flesh. Upon hearing this news, she runs to her cousin Elizabeth’s house and begins to sing.

The words that come out of Hannah’s and Mary’s mouths are shocking yet similar. One would expect them to say, “Thank you, God, for this gift of life! It is unbelievable that you have done this for me.” But instead, they both praise God for raising the lowly, honoring the meek, trampling the proud, bringing down the rich, and for God’s character of being strong and faithful. Their words focus on their God who goes against the world's system, where the strong, rich, and prideful win, and instead proclaims that the humble, poor, and faithful will be victorious through God. This realization of God’s Kingdom can be either greatly encouraging and exciting or a cause for sorrow and fear. Whichever your reaction, I recommend approaching God with the posture of these women: faithful, humble, and aware of the paradox of God’s world.

While both human mothers and mother Creation know sorrow, they also know great joy. They know of a God who sees them (Gen 16:13), a God who listens to them, a God who values them even when society does not, and a God who is a great helper (Gen 2:18) that promises to bring deliverance to the oppressed. They know what it is like to give birth to salvation and give life to the world. They know the intimacy of love.

Today, I encourage us to reread and listen to the words of these mothers and to live a life that makes their words a reality. I also encourage you to listen to mother creation: the wisdom of the seasons, the songs of the birds, the rhythm of the tides, the groans of dry land, or the cries of endangered leopards. What they have to say may be shocking but it could bring you life.



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Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.