+ We have two additional beautiful readings as we celebrate the
days of the Octave of Christmas. Yesterday
in the first reading from St. John’s letter we read about “living in love”
which is the true proof of being a Christian. Today he explains that a little
bit further. John told us that if we say
we love God, but hate our brothers and sisters then we are liars. Why?
Because God is found in them – so we can’t love God in one place and not in the
other – it is illogical.
It is interesting to note that
for those wanting to get to know God, reaching out to be kind to others and
take an interest in them may be a first step in that regard. We know what Jesus
said later, that he was to be found in the poor. This is true. Let’s have a
look and see!
The gospel passage today
reflects yesterday’s when Simeon blessed the child Jesus who was presented to
him in the temple. His life’s dream was fulfilled, and now he could die a happy
man.
Today the prophetess Anna, who
also came to the temple at that time, saw Jesus and told everyone about what
she saw. She had lived an extraordinary life: being married for just seven
years and then as a widow until she was 84. She
never left the temple and worshiped day and night! May she be an example of
single-sighted devotion and attention to God who ought to be everything to us!
May our goal and objective
today, be to, like Anna, never leave the
reality, beauty and inspirational focus, of the temple – the dwelling place of
God within our very hearts and souls. We can retreat there any time at all,
at any moment, at every circumstance in which we find ourselves, both to share
the good that is happening to us, to ask help for challenging situations, and
to ask forgiveness for wrongs done out of human weakness.
Jesus
for his part returned to Galilee with his parents, to their own town of
Nazareth, where he grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of
God was upon him.
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