Tuesday of the
First Week in Ordinary Time
(I Samuel 1:9-20; Mark 1:21-28)
The couple had been hoping for a baby for years. As they had not conceived, they decided to
adopt. Fortunately, they were awarded a
baby. Then the woman became
pregnant. Soon enough they had two children
to care for. Today’s first reading tells
a similar story.
Hannah spends so much time praying for a child that she
appears to overdo it. The priest Eli chides
her for drinking to excess, only to learn that his criticism is excessive. Then he blesses Hannah, and she and her
husband conceive a child.
Many wonder if it is wrong to seek expert advice today in
order to conceive. Or, should a couple just
go on praying if they want children? The
Church teaches that fertility counselling can be advantageous as long as the
couple realizes that not everything recommended by the medical profession is
morally licit. In vitro fertilization, for example, wrongfully separates the unitive
and procreative dimensions of marital relations. In any case, prayer should accompany all
efforts to conceive. We pray not only that
we may have children if that is our desire but that our children grow strong in
faith and in love,
