It is 30th December 2020. The readings are from 1 John 2:12-17 and the Gospel from Luke 2:36-40.
Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, an eighty-four woman to spend time for God so faithfully is indeed an example for the young. The elders are full of wisdom, guidance, and experiences. His holiness Pope Francis hailed the grandparents, “The indispensable link in educating children and young people in the faith.” We all want to have our own personal experiences of life but it is good to know the experiences of God in the elderly so as to live a meaningful and spiritually rich life. Spending quality time for God is a blessing because we would encounter God anytime. Longing to see God is in everyone of us. Anna was longing to see the Saviour and waiting in the temple. There is something we do in our life does not allow us to have the Darshan of God.
The first reading points out that our attachments to the pleasures of the world and of our flesh inflates our pride and ego in our life that hides the encounter with God. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:15,16). By time and age, we become matured spiritually and able to handle the world with care and guide the other. We need not wait to be good, kind, gentle and genuine till we reach our old age. What we need to do is to channel our love, joy, and peace for the welfare of the other daily. By doing so, our own garden of life becomes beautiful and fragrant.
The responsorial Psalm praises, “Let heaven and earth exult in joy!” (Ps.96:11).
The confession of Anna about the New-born as the Saviour of Jerusalem during the Presentation is the gospel text for us today. With her life of prayer, fasting and service to God, she was inspired to talk about Jesus. It is the first kerygma about Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer. Our encounter with the Lord must lead to evangelisation. Even though meeting the Lord is personal, yet our experience belongs to the community we all belong. Age does not deter a person to serve the Lord is the example shown by Anna. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph teaches us to abide by all the laws of the country we live, the church we belong and the family we grow fruitfully. Have a lovely day. God bless you.