THE SIXTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS, DECEMBER 30, 2021

MASS READINGS

A Gospel according to Lk 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.

REFLECTION

"She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer."

A few weeks ago someone asked me "Why are you like this?"

"Pardon me?", I replied. He asked me again: "If you were wild in your youth, how come you are like this now? Why do you worship Jesus in the Eucharist like you do?"

Thinking, "I am not a saint that walks on water", I replied: "Because of my mother's prayers."

The prophetess Anna spent day and night praying and fasting in the Temple. She'd done that for decades. Many people think that with old age comes uselessness. Because

the person cannot "do" many things many think they are useless.

The late Cardinal Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận tells us in his book "Testimony of Hope" that it is a good thing our bodies slow down with age, otherwise we would just keep doing things until we die.

As we get older, and "do" less, we have more time to pray. This is the time when we are not useless. On the contrary, this is the time when our elders, the grandparents, can pass their experience and love to the grandchildren. They can see the dynamics of the family from another perspective, and pray for them, for us.

This is also the time spent in more silence, better to hear God speak more clearly to us.

So, next time you "feel" a little tug in your soul to stir towards God it might be those intercessory Rosaries, Masses, Eucharistic Visits, or prayerful pleads our mothers, fathers, grandparents are saying for us. Pray for them in return.

Merry Christmas to all y'all!