From Living Faith Daily Catholic Devotions (Jan/Feb/Mar 2026)

St. Hilary

1 Samuel 1:9-20 + 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-8 + Mark 1:21-28

Tears Never Wasted

…the LORD remembered her. She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son… 1 Samuel 1:20

Infertility is a heavy cross to bear. There are many women weeping bitterly like Hannah, pouring their hearts out to God, asking for a child. For years, these women have felt forgotten by their bodies, by society and by God.

But like Hannah, they will be remembered. Their prayers sadly may not be answered through the physical birth of a child but perhaps in another way: through adoption, fostering, being an aunt or through spiritual motherhood. Or in some other means that our limited human scope cannot fully fathom.

If you’re in a season of waiting, take heart. Although your longing may feel interminable and unbearable, and your heart may be on the verge of breaking, God has not forgotten you. God is here. Trust in his timing. Keep praying. Like Hannah, you may one day look back and see that your tears were not wasted. Perhaps they were watering the soil for the growth of a miracle.

□ Kate Wicker