The first reading is a reading from the first book of Samuel.

There was a certain man from Rathamon, Alican by name, a zoophyte from the hill of Ephraim,

hill country of Ephraim, and he was the son of Jerobam, the son of Iluwa, son of Tauyu, son of Zup, an Ammeraphyrite. He had two wives,

one named Hannah, the other Penea. Penea had children, but Hannah was childless. This man

regularly went on pilgrimage from his city to worship the Lord of Hosen, the sacrifice to him at Chilo,

where the two sons of Eli, Hopfi and Phineas, were ministering his priests of the Lord.

When the day came for Alighai to offer sacrifice, he used to give a portion each to his wife,

Pernaya, and to all her sons and daughters, but a double portion to Hannah because

he loved her, though the Lord had made her barren. Her rival, to upset her, turned it to a constant

reproach to her that the Lord had left her barren. This went on year after year each time they made

a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord.

Paniah would approach her and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.

Her husband Alachi used to ask her,

Hannah, why do you weep and why do you refuse to eat?

Why do you grieve? Am I not more to you than ten sons?

The word of the Lord, thanks be to God. To you, Lord, I will offer a

sacrifice of praise. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise. How shall I make a return to the

Lord for all the good He has done for me? The cup of salvation I will take up and I will call in the Lord's name.

To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise. My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all

his people. Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.

O Lord, I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have loosened my bonds.

To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise. My vows to the Lord, I will pay in the presence of all

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