Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 2, 36- 40
There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She 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.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
A devout woman
1. A prophetess. Nowadays, there are many prophetic women who continue to announce God and denounce injustice, guided by God’s word. I’m thinking of Mother Teresa of Calcutta or Saint Bakhita, among others. But, besides, there are many women that are by my side every day and that lead me to see God’s hand in my life; they are also prophetesses. Can you think of three women who lead you to God?
2. Worshiped night and day. Anna, having become a widow at a young age, never left the temple even in her old age. She was immersed in prayer and contemplation. The gospel wants to teach us her way of life: a life that has reached maturity and walks hand in hand with God. Place God at the center of your life and act toward others from his perspective. Remember that prayer is what allows you to heal. There is nothing better than prayer and refocusing on yourself to recover from a failure and a fall. It is the search for your inner self, having God in your heart, that will allow you to find the strength to rise to life again.
3. To be thankful. After many years, Anna found her hope, which was Jesus and gave thanks. Now, it’s our turn to give thanks. It’s almost the end of the year; it’s time to show gratitude. I know that we have experienced difficult things, but we must be thankful even for those hard times, because something good can come out of everything and we can learn valuable lessons. Every day we must thank God for what we have lived, what we have strived for and what we have faced. We must thank him because He does not let go of our hand and shows us his love in one way or another. He does not let himself be outdone in generosity. What are you thankful for?
Never forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
