1 Samuel 1:24-28 / Luke 1:46-56
The word "enthusiasm" usually means great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause, or a source or cause of great excitement or interest.
But the original meaning (and maybe by now obsolete meaning) is that it is a divine inspiration or some kind of godly possession of a person that makes a person behave as such.
We see a bit of this original meaning of enthusiasm when a person shares a spiritual experience with us.
There is so much conviction and excitement that the person can just keep talking and talking and that might even leave us quite tired and boring.
We see a shade of that kind of enthusiasm in the 1st reading as Hannah offered thanks to the Lord for granting her a child in Samuel and she even insisted to Eli that Samuel be "made over" to the Lord for all his life".
Such enthusiasm is almost unbelievable and seemed extreme but that was how Hannah wanted to thank the Lord.
And even for Mary, the scriptures did not quote her saying much but in today's gospel she truly magnified the Lord as the gospel recorded 11 verses of her praises.
For Hannah and Mary, their enthusiasm was truly of a divine inspiration and they were indeed filled with the Holy Spirit.
May we too be open to the Holy Spirit and to His promptings so that we too will give thanks and magnify the Lord and may we be enthusiastic in proclaiming the wonders of the Lord.