Daily Reflection The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Today’s gospel features Anna, a prophetess. Sometimes it seems that there is a woman
like Anna in every parish: an elderly woman, a longtime member of the community, who
is recognized for her wisdom and kindness, and is a pillar of the church. This was Anna,
eighty-four years old, a widow, and a fixture in the temple.

Like Simeon, the prophet who appears earlier in the gospel, she was a faithful Jew
awaiting the Messiah, believing he would be the One who would redeem Israel and all
of humanity. Like Simeon, she recognized the infant Jesus to be the anointed one of
God. Her continual worship, along with her faithful fasting and prayer, helped her to
receive this revelation. She then became a proto-evangelist, prophesying to all who
would listen about the role of this child for the salvation of all.

Mary must have listened in awe to both Anna and Simeon. Mary was like any good
mother. When she watched her son, she wondered about his future. These prophecies
must have puzzled her. Saint Luke tells us that she kept all these things in her heart.
For today we might think about those who are like Anna or Simeon in our own lives,
someone who has helped to reveal the presence of the Lord for us.