Sixth Day Within The Octave of the Nativity of the Lord(Click here for readings)
There was a prophetess, Anna,...who never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
It's that time of year again. A day is a wonderful thing. We wish for more when we had a good one, and are grateful it came to an end when we had a bad one.
A year is a wonderful thing as well, and for all the same reasons as a day.
For years the prophetess Anna fasted and prayed in the temple area. Day in and day out she waited for the coming of the Lord. When that day finally arrived, she did more than just pinch his little cheeks. She let the whole world know about Him. She openly and courageously spoke about the Lord well before John the Baptist ever said his first words.
Advanced in age and faith. As I approach the end of the year, I pray to God I have advanced not only in age but also in faith. I pray to have seen not only new things but old things in a new or fresh way. This year I can honestly say I have grown significantly in the virtues of forgiveness and compassion, especially towards sinners. How? By examining my own horrid sinfulness. I have seen an old familiar face in a new way.
Anna saw the child Jesus and immediately believed. How many more saw Him after that? How many more came to believe after her? Who knows. But what we do know is that the burden of faith does not rest on God alone; it falls on the individual as well. Ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse in a court of law. It probably doesn't work well with God's court either.
I need to grow. I need to have a mind as fertile as soil if any seed of faith is to grow. Hence, we should never end the day by being physically a day older and mentally a day younger! Rather, we should strive to gain a day's worth of knowledge, wisdom and faith at the end of each day.
Say a little prayer every day. Write a little meditation every morning. Do a little reading every night. Examine your conscience every afternoon. It will do the body, mind and soul a great amount of good.
Anna never left the temple, but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. She lived a long life and lived happily ever after.
Since Anna was a prophetess, I have no doubts she was trying to tell us (or teach us) something through her words and actions.
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