Today we celebrate the sixth day within the octave (eight days) following Christ’s birth. This is the only day that is not a Saint’s Feast. During the Octaves of the Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost, the Church is so absorbed in their respective mysteries, that she puts off everything else that could share her attention, whereas, during the Octave of Christmas we see foreshadowing of his death and resurrection
The Gospel today (Luke 2:36-40) reminds us of the terrible prophecy of Anna regarding the dear Babe of Bethlehem. The heart of Mary, that was overflowing with joy at the miraculous birth of her Child, is here made to feel the sword spoken by the venerable Prophetess. Her Son is to be a sign that will be contradicted! The mystery of our being adopted by God will cost this Child of hers his life! We who are the Redeemed in his Blood may not yet dwell on the fatigues and the Passion and the Death of our Emmanuel; the time for that will come later. At present, we are forbidden to think of Him other than the sweet Child that is born to us, and the source of all our happiness, by his having come among us.
In today’s Gospel we have the other half of the twin vigilants watching for the coming of the Messiah in the person of prophetess Anna. Like Simeon, she had been holding vigil in fasting and prayer in anticipation of the promise of her seeing the Messiah being presented in the temple.
You can just imagine her happiness when she finally recognized the coming of the Messiah being carried by His parents, Joseph and Mary. Like any other Jew, Anna and Simeon were longing for His coming, not only for their own peace but also for Israel. While many Jews saw the coming as freedom from foreign rule, Anna (and Simeon) saw deeper. It was not just a coming to address Israel’s captivity and enslavement. It was a coming to save mankind from the bondage of sin. Indeed, it is a cause of great joy and fulfillment.
Let us catch up the words of Anna, who calls him the Redemption of Israel. Let our eyes delight in the sight of the earth regenerated by the birth of its Savior. Let us admire and study well this Jesus, newly born among us, and adore, in humble love, the wisdom and grace that are in him. During the Offertory, the Church celebrates the wonderful renovation brought into the world, a renovation that saved it from destruction. She sings the praises of the great God who came down into the poor Stable of Bethlehem, yet never left his eternal throne.
Yet, many of us choose to remain imprisoned in sin. St. Paul was right in questioning why many of us, who have been freed, still prefer to remain imprisoned. Our ransom was no less than God’s only begotten Son. That is how important we are to God. We are expected to appreciate what God has done. At least, we should also respect our own dignity and holiness. While God did not require our consent when we were created, He will not save us without our consent. Salvation may have been brought to us by Jesus, but we must continue to live and profess it.
Anna waited for so long for the coming of the Messiah. She did not live to see what the Messiah would accomplish. For her, seeing Him born was enough. Anna’s faith assured her of the promised salvation. We too may not have seen it, but we know how it happened. We are expected to respond with more faith. Let us not waste this opportunity. God has done the perfect act of loving and salvation. Let us respond to it as perfectly as we can.
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!