St Hilary of Poitiers — Faith That Is Given, Faith That Is Proclaimed

Today’s readings are quiet on the surface,
but demanding underneath.

They speak about faith that is received
and faith that must be given away.

That makes them a fitting setting
for the feast of Hilary of Poitiers,
a bishop who learned that truth is never kept safely by keeping it to yourself.

In the first reading, we return to Hannah.

Her prayer has been answered.
The child she longed for has been given.

And now comes the moment that reveals the depth of her faith.

She brings Samuel back to the Lord
and says, simply: “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord.”

That line is astonishing.

Hannah does not cling.
She does not treat Samuel as her possession.

She recognises that what is given by God
is not ultimately owned by us.

Faith does not end when prayers are answered.
It is tested after they are answered.

Hannah teaches us that gratitude is not enough.
Faith means entrusting back to God
what we most value.

The Gospel moves from the quiet faith of Hannah
to the active ministry of Jesus.

Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law.

Immediately, she gets up and serves them.

Grace received becomes service given.

But the Gospel does not stop there.

As evening falls, the whole town gathers.
Jesus heals many.
He drives out demons.

And then comes a moment we could easily miss.

“Rising very early before dawn,
He went off to a deserted place, and there He prayed.”

Jesus does not live on success.
He does not remain where He is most welcomed.

Prayer comes first.

And when the disciples try to bring Him back,
Jesus refuses.

“Let us go on to the neighbouring villages,
so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do.”

Jesus does not cling to results.
He moves on in obedience to His mission.

This brings us to St Hilary.

Hilary lived in a time of confusion in the Church,
when many were unsure — or unwilling —
to speak clearly about who Christ truly is.

Hilary could have stayed quiet.
He could have compromised.

Instead, he taught the truth
about the divinity of Christ
with clarity and courage.

It cost him dearly.

He was exiled for his faith.

But Hilary understood something essential:

Truth received must be proclaimed.
Faith given must be handed on.

Like Hannah,
he did not cling to what was entrusted to him.

Like Christ,
he went where he was needed, not where he was comfortable.

These readings are not abstract.

They describe the pattern of Christian life.

We receive from God —
life, faith, forgiveness, grace.

And then we are asked to let go —
to serve,
to witness,
to trust God with the outcome.

Faith that is kept private
eventually withers.

Faith that is given away grows.

Hannah teaches us to return to God
what He has given.

Jesus shows us that prayer must come before action
and obedience before success.

St Hilary reminds us
that truth is worth suffering for.

May we learn not to cling to faith as something private,
but to live it faithfully and pass it on,
trusting that what comes from God
is safest when it is placed back in His hands.