Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

January 13, 2026

Hannah comes before the Lord, weighed down by a sorrow she can no longer carry alone. Scripture tells us that she is deeply distressed, her lips moving without sound, her heart pouring itself out. Like Hannah, we are often downcast not because our burdens are too great, but because we do not know how to leave them behind. We cling to our anxieties and try to manage our suffering on our own, for trust does not come easily to us.

Hannah’s transformation begins not when her circumstances change, but when her attempt to control them does. After she prays, her sadness lifts. Nothing outward has yet changed, but something within her has. She lays down her worry where it belongs—in the hands of God, and peace blooms within her. Trust does not change our situation, but it frees us from being imprisoned by it.

Too often, we approach God as if we must explain ourselves, though God already knows what we need. What he desires is that we approach him in trust and let go of anxiety. Hannah comes as she is, trusting that God sees what others do not. Eli mistakes her prayer for drunkenness; God receives it as faith.

We do not come to God because we have everything together, but because we do not, and we approach, not with the illusion of control, but with the humility of surrender. We place our worries on the altar alongside the bread and wine, trusting that the same God who received Hannah’s silent prayer receives ours with love, mercy, and care.

When we entrust ourselves to God and persevere in that trust, our burdens no longer define us, and we find peace. May we grow to know that God knows our hearts and trust that He will do what is needed.

Prayer:

Lord, you know our hearts and minds. You know what we need before we do. Help us to live trusting you, loving you, and leaving our worries at your feet, that we may live in peace while in this world. Amen.