1 Samuel 1:13

Let the virgins likewise form a separate band, singing hymns or reading; silently, however, so that while their lips speak, no other's ears may hear what they say. For, "I suffer not a woman to speak in church." Let the married woman imitate them: let her pray and her lips move but her voice not be heard. So shall Samuel come among us: your barren soul, that is to say, shall bring forth the salvation of "God who has heard your prayers." For that is the meaning of "Samuel."

(Moral Exposition) She vows her son to Almighty God who seeks the joy of contemplation for the fruit of the mind, not for the favor of vanity. But carnal superiors are accustomed to resist vehemently those who rightly seek the desire of contemplation; for they think that those desiring a more secluded life act all the more foolishly, because they themselves are ignorant of the power of interior sweetness. If they sometimes rage against spiritual subjects with the voice of harsh rebuke, they must be calmed by the most humble reasoning. For if they unreasonably rise up against those acting rightly, the reverence due to the higher order requires that they be honored even when they exceed the measure of reason. Both of these—namely carnal prelates and spiritual subjects—Eli and Anna well represent; for when he sat before the doorposts of the Lord's temple and Anna prayed, Eli watched her mouth and called her drunk. But she, who patiently endured the insults, displayed humility of response with truthful reasoning. She declared herself his handmaid, speaking from much grief and sorrow, and not only calmed his angry spirit against her, but even turned him to prayer for obtaining the fruit of her desire.

And only her lips moved, etc. Clearly an ecclesiastical operation and most worthy of divine regard, which itself anticipated the Lord's encouragement with devotion, saying: Enter your chamber, and having closed the door, pray to your Father who is in secret (Matthew VI).

Therefore Eli thought she was drunk, etc. The pride of the Jewish priesthood judged the converted gentility still heavily burdened by the disturbance of sins, and said to her: How long will you be held guilty by the bond of original sin? Be purified by …

27. The heart of the holy Church is none other than that devout and learned blessedness of the faithful which is within her. And Anna spoke in her heart, because the preaching of the holy Church benefited only those who were to be illuminated by the true light through divine predestination. What indeed is the movement of the lips but the advancement of signs in the holy preachers? These indeed, although they seemed to speak outwardly like lips and to stand in a lowly position, while they gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and life to the dead, certainly displayed great movements of merits. Hence also that great lip of the holy Church, while speaking it seemed to stand in a lowly position, because it was not only humble in word and conduct, but also sublime in the power of signs, so that by its movement it raised itself up to heaven, saying: Our conversation is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). And so Eli only saw Anna's lips moving but did not hear her voice at all, because the Jewish priesthood marveled at the works of the apostles but was not advanced to salvation by their preaching. Therefore Anna's voice was not heard, because although the holy Church was wonderful in the display of signs, when she brought forth words of preaching, she kindled strangers to love of the Redeemer. But what does Eli think of her whom he does not understand? It follows: (Verse 13) Therefore Eli thought her to be drunk. 28. Indeed, we have recognized this also according to the history of the Acts of the Apostles, because on the days of Pentecost the holy apostles were believed to be drunk, when, having received the fullness of the Holy Spirit, they spoke the great works of Christ in every tongue (Acts 2:4). But spiritually the holy Church is believed to be drunk, which Judea does not consider to be asserting true things, but preaching heretical and false things. […]

Now Hannah, she spake in her heart,....

She was none of those that made her voice to be heard on high, Isa. lviii. It was a secret prayer, and therefore, though made in a public place, yet was thus made secretly, and not, as the Pharisees prayed, to be seen of men. It is true prayer is not a thing we have reason to be ashamed of, but we must avoid all appearances of ostentation.

Spake in her heart; only her lips moved - She prayed; her whole heart was engaged: and though she spake not with an audible voice, yet her lips formed themselves according to the pronunciation of the words which her heart uttered.

This mistaken impression was immediately removed, and, in the words, "God grant," or rather, "will grant," was followed by an invocation which, as Hannah regarded it in the light of a prophecy pointing to the accomplishment of her earnest desire, dispelled her sadness, and filled her with confident hope [1Sa 1:18].