DECEMBER 30, 2019 : THE SIXTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Lectionary: 203

Reading 11 JN 2:12-17

I am writing to you, children,
because your sins have been forgiven for his name's sake.

I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,
because you have conquered the Evil One.

I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,
because you are strong and the word of God remains in you,
and you have conquered the Evil One.

Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,
is not from the Father but is from the world.
Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Responsorial PsalmPS 96:7-8A, 8B-9, 10

R.(11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts;
worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 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.

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Meditation: "Anna recognized the coming of Christ and gave thanks to God"

Where do you place your trust and hope for a life of peace, freedom and happiness? Scripture tells us that those who place their trust in God will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23, Psalm 62:8, Proverbs 3:5-6). In every age, God has placed in the hearts of his people, from the descendants of Adam, Noah, Abraham, the prophets, and King David, a longing and a hope for a Redeemer who will bring us God's kingdom of peace, joy, and righteousness. We see the great unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the birth of Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God before all ages, who became a man to redeem his people from sin and oppression.

The long expected newborn Messiah is presented in the Temple at Jerusalem
Luke the Evangelist records the coming of the Christ child (God's Anointed Messiah) to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2:22-24). Joseph and Mary brought the child Jesus with them to the temple to fulfill the Jewish ceremony, recorded in the law of Moses, for the "redemption of the firstborn child" (Exodus 3:2) and the ritual purification of the mother after childbirth (Leviticus 12:2-8). As Joseph and Mary presented their offering and dedicated the child Jesus in the temple, Anna, a godly woman of great age (84 years) who was filled with the Holy Spirit immediately recognized that this child was the promised Messiah and heir to the throne of David. She publicly "gave thanks to God and spoke of him [who is the Christ - the Anointed Messiah] to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38).

Anna's persevering hope and reward of seeing Christ face to face
What is the significance of Anna's witness and prophetic proclamation of the Messiah's coming to his temple? Luke calls Anna a prophetess because she had dedicated her life to the service of God's word through prayer and fasting. Like Simeon (Luke 2:25-35) and all the prophets of the Old Testament, she was attentive to God's word and she spoke prophetically - under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - to others of God's plan of salvation for his people. She spent her days in the house of the Lord (the Temple) where she offered up daily prayers and intercession for her people.

Anna did not grow weary of placing her trust in God and his promises. Here hope and trust in God did not waver but grew with age.What enabled Anna to persevere for so many years and through difficult times, such as the loss of her husband, and through the trials of advancing old age? She never ceased to give thanks to God each and every day. She worshiped God in daily prayer, and with fasting and intercession on behalf of her people. And she never ceased to cling to God's word and to speak of his word to others to bring them encouragement and hope. She believed with hopeful expectation that she would one day see her Lord and Redeemer face to face. Anna is a model of persevering faith and hope to all who hunger for God and for his saving word.

The Holy Spirit renews our hope in the promise of God
Where do you place your hope? We can easily grow discouraged when trials and setbacks come our way, and we can grow cynical or give in to despair when failing health and advancing age rob us of our natural strength. Life's shortcomings and disappointments can either weigh us down or press us closer to God. The choice is ours - to rely on ourselves and our own strength or to put our trust wholly in God alone and in the grace and strength which he provides. Scripture reminds us that God gives us a (supernatural) hope beyond hope, a (divine) love stronger than death, and a (spiritual and unceasing) joy that no earthly sorrow or suffering can take away.

Is your hope in this present life only? The hope which God places in our heart is the desire and longing for a home and a kingdom of unceasing joy and happiness with God our Creator and Father. The Lord Jesus has won for us an enduring kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). The Holy Spirit who dwells in us renews and strengthens our hope day by day as we listen to God's word and believe in his promises. God never fails because his promises are true and he is faithful. The hope which God places within us through the gift of the Holy Spirit enables us to persevere with confident trust in God even in the face of daily trails, setbacks, and challenges that come our way.

The reward of seeking God's kingdom first
Is there anything holding you back from giving God your unqualified yes to his will and plan for your life? Allow the Lord Jesus to flood your heart with his peace, joy, and love. And offer to God everything you have and desire - your life, family, friends, health, and provision for the future. If you seek his kingdom first (Matthew 6:33), he will give you everything you need to know, love, and serve him now and to enjoy him forever in his everlasting kingdom of joy and peace.

"Lord Jesus, you alone are my hope and life. May I never cease to place all my trust in your unfailing love and mercy. Fill me with the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit that I may boldly point others to your saving presence and word of eternal life."

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus, though rich, became poor for us, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"Anna, who, by reason of her years of widowhood and her virtues, is set before us as wholly worthy of belief, announces that the Redeemer of all people has come... Not without purpose, however, does he make mention of the eighty-four years of her widowhood, because both the seven twelves and the two forties seemed to imply a number that is sacred." (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2.62)

www.dailyscripture.net

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, LUKE 2:36-40
Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
(I John 2:12-17; Psalm 96)

KEY VERSE: "She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel" (v. 38).
TO KNOW: Luke paralleled the account of two elderly servants of God, Simeon and Anna, who awaited the deliverance of Israel.  (Lk 2:25-35). Anna was a pious, elderly widow who spent her days in the temple praying and fasting for the redemption of Israel. Widows, such as Anna, dedicated their lives to God through prayer and service, and were greatly respected in Israel. Anna was called a "prophetess," one who interpreted God's action in the world and spoke it forth. When Joseph and Mary brought their child to the temple, Anna announced to everyone that the deliverance of Israel would be accomplished through Jesus. After fulfilling the required rites of purification, Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth where the child Jesus grew physically, intellectually and spiritually.
TO LOVE: How can I be of service to the widowed and elderly in my parish?
TO SERVE: Holy Spirit, help me to grow in wisdom and favor before God. ​

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Monday 30 December 2019

1 John 2:12-17. Psalm 95(96):7-10. Luke 2:36-40.
Let heaven and earth exult in joy! – Psalm 95(96):7-10.
‘She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.’

Anna was an evangeliser. Having recognised the baby in his mother’s arms for who he was, Anna immediately proclaimed the good news to those who would hear it. As a prophetess, Anna lived her life being constantly open to the presence of God, open to the imagination of a world so beautifully created that God blessed it with the coming of his son.

Why would we not also evangelise through our joy at the incarnation of God, God made flesh? Do we live out our lives as prophets? Are we open to the presence of God, living the message of hope and love Jesus brought through his life, death and resurrection? Let us live our lives as disciples, attentive to the life of God in our midst.

Lord Jesus, form within us a new spirit of joy, that we may become ever more effective and discerning proclaimers of the Good News.

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Saint Egwin

Saint of the Day for December 30

(d. c. 720)

Saint Egwin’s Story

You say you’re not familiar with today’s saint? Chances are you aren’t—unless you’re especially informed about Benedictine bishops who established monasteries in medieval England.

Born in the seventh century of royal blood, Egwin entered a monastery, and was enthusiastically received by royalty, clergy, and the people as the bishop of Worcester, England. As a bishop he was known as a protector of orphans and the widowed and a fair judge. Who could argue with that?

His popularity didn’t hold up among members of the clergy, however. They saw him as overly strict, while he felt he was simply trying to correct abuses and impose appropriate disciplines. Bitter resentments arose, and Egwin made his way to Rome to present his case to Pope Constantine. The case against Egwin was examined and annulled.

Upon his return to England, Egwin founded Evesham Abbey, which became one of the great Benedictine houses of medieval England. It was dedicated to Mary, who had reportedly made it known to Egwin just where a church should be built in her honor.

Egwin died at the abbey on December 30, 717. Following his burial many miracles were attributed to him: The blind could see, the deaf could hear, the sick were healed.

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Reflection

Correcting abuses and faults is never an easy job, not even for a bishop. Egwin attempted to correct and build up the clergy in his diocese and it earned him the wrath of his priests. When we are called to correct someone or some group, plan on opposition, but also know that it might be the right thing to do.

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/

Lectio Divina: Luke 2:36-40

Lectio Divina

Monday, December 30, 2019

Christmas season

1) Opening prayer

Almighty Father,
You let humble, faithful people
recognize Your Son
and welcome Him as the Savior
who brought freedom and life to His people.

May we too recognize and welcome Jesus
in all that is little and humble
and with Him grow up in wisdom and grace
to the maturity of Your sons and daughters,
so that we attain the full image of Jesus.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

2) Gospel reading - 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 with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came up just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And as the child grew to maturity, He was filled with wisdom; and God's favor was with him.

3) Reflection

• In the first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel, everything revolves around the birth of two people: John and Jesus. The two chapters make us feel the sense of the Gospel of Luke. In it, the environment is one of tenderness and praise. From the beginning until the end, the mercy of God is sung and praised: The canticles of Mary (Lk 1,: 46-55), of Zechariah (Lk 1: 68-79), of the Angels (Lk 2:14), of Simeon (Lk 2: 29-32). Finally, God comes to fulfill his promises and He fulfills them on behalf of the poor, [1] the anawim, those who knew how to persevere and hope in his coming: Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, the shepherds.
• Chapters 1 and 2 of Luke’s Gospel are very well known, but do not go far enough. Luke writes by imitating the writings of the Old Testament. It is as if the first two chapters of his Gospel were the last chapter of the Old Testament, which opens the door for the coming of the New. These two chapters are the foundation or bridge between the New and the Old Testaments. Luke wants to show that the prophecies are being realized. John and Jesus fulfill the Old and begin the New.
• Luke 2:36-37: The life of the Prophetess Anna. “There was a prophetess, Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. She had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer”. Like Judith (Jdt 8:1-6), Anna was also a widow. Like Deborah (Judg 4:4), she also was a prophetess, i.e.,  a person who communicates something of God and who has a special ability in matters of faith to the point of being able to communicate them to others. Anna got married when she was young, and lived seven years married, then she became a widow and continued to dedicate herself to God up to the age of eighty-four years. Today, in almost all of our communities throughout the world, we find groups of older women, many of them widows, whose life is consumed in prayer and in giving service to their neighbors.
• Luke 2: 38: Anna and the Child Jesus. “She came up just at that moment and began to praise God, and she spoke of the child to all who looked toward to the deliverance of Jerusalem”. She went to the Temple at the moment when Simeon embraces the child and speaks with Mary concerning the future of her son (Lk 2: 25-35). Luke suggests that Anna takes part in this activity. The vision of Anna is one of faith. She sees a child in the arms of His mother and discovers in Him the Savior of the world.
• Luke 2: 39-40: The life of Jesus in Nazareth. “When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And as the child grew to maturity, He was filled with wisdom and God’s favor was with Him”. In these few words, Luke communicates something of the mystery of the Incarnation. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). The Son of God becomes equal to us in all things and assumes the condition of Servant (Ph 2:7). He was obedient even unto death and death on the cross (Phil  2: 8). He lived thirty-three years among us, and of these, He lived thirty in Nazareth. If we want to know how the life of the Son of God was during the years that He lived in Nazareth, we have to learn about the life of the average Nazarene of that time, change his name, give him the name of Jesus and then we will have an idea about the life of the Son of God in these first thirty years, being in everything like us except sin (Heb 4:15). During these years of His life, “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him”. In another passage, Luke affirms the same thing using other words. He says that the child “grew in wisdom, age and grace before God and men” (Lk 2:52). To grow in wisdom means to assimilate knowledge of what is true or right, just judgement and discernment, as well as prayer, customs, etc. This is learned through living, and living together in the natural community of the people. To grow in age means to be born small and to grow and become an adult. This is the process of every human being, with its joys and sadness, its discoveries and frustrations, anger and love. This is learned by living and by living together in the family, with parents, brothers and sisters, and relatives. To grow in grace means to discover the presence of God in life, His action in everything that happens, and His call. The Letter to the Hebrews says that: “Although He was the Son, He learned obedience through His sufferings” (Heb 5: 8).

4) Personal questions

• Do you know any people like Anna who look on things in life with eyes of faith?
• To grow in wisdom, age, and grace - how does this take place in my life?

5) Concluding prayer

Sing to Yahweh, bless His name!
Proclaim His salvation day after day,
declare His glory among the nations,
His marvels to every people! (Ps 96:2-3)

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