Readings for the Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 1 John 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Jn 2:12-17
St. John addresses his audience singularly on Sin and forgiveness using an interesting metaphor for the trinity; Children, Fathers, Young Men. The believing community he addresses is armed through faith against the evil one. He focuses in his last paragraph on avoiding the secular focus on “things” of the world, saying that they are of the world and therefore unworthy, leading away from God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 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!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10
While a song of praise, the psalmist reminds us that even in praise we need to offer what we have in gratitude. The structure is familiar – we are given first the audience, then the response, and final praise as a response from God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 2:36-40
There was also 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 2:36-40
Continuing our story surrounding the presentation of Jesus, today we hear from the prophetess Anna. This role for widows to prophesy in the temple was not uncommon. The symbolism depicting Anna has clear linkage back to Old Testament events, beginning with seven, rabbinical literature recognizes seven as the number of prophetesses -Sarah, Miriam Exodus 15:20, Deborah Judges 4:4, Hannah mother of Samuel 1 Samuel 2:1, Abigail wife of David 1 Samuel 25:32, Huldah 2 Kings 22:14, and Esther. These women gave witness to God’s will, at least in their holiness and spoke in his name. Anna, in this prophetic role (Phanuel translates as “face of God” and Asher as “good luck”), echoes the words of Simeon saying that this young baby is the redemption of Jerusalem – the city represents all of the elect.
The final verses provide a glimpse of Jesus’ necessary hidden life in Nazareth. He grows in faith and stature in preparation for the mission assigned to him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Anna recognizes God in Jesus as did Simeon. What did they see? Both virtually lived in the Temple. So many families must have come to carry out the prescriptions of the Law of Moses, yet the arrival of an insignificant, poor seeming family – Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, triggered a response completely unique in the lives of both Anna and Simeon.
According to the years mentioned, Anna would have been 104 years old. This may have symbolically placed her in the company of Judith who lived to be 105 (Judith 16:23). Her service to the community was to identify the coming Messiah. But what did she see that brought her to this momentous conclusion? How did she know God was there? We are told that Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit. Anna must have been under similar impulse. Their testimony gives ancient proof to the Lord’s identity and we pause to wonder. If we had been in the temple, would we have been able to perceive the holiness of Jesus and has family? Have we attuned ourselves to the Holy Spirit to a point were we recognize God’s finger prints as they are made?
This is part of the challenge of our faith journey. To build up our perceptive ability to a point were we recognize God’s handiwork as we encounter it. Lapsing to analogy, it is like the scientist who has prepared, through long years of education and study, to witness a subtle result in an experiment that allows them to come to correct conclusions and great discovery. Without that training and preparation, that true meaning remains hidden.
And for us, as we prepare for the new year, how do we prepare to see and understand the Lord’s incursions into our lives? The only way we will see and understand what God does is to learn who he is and how he works. This revelation comes from a number of avenues. One of which we practice together in this space. We read God’s Word – the Lord’s voice preserved for us through inspired authors, captured for us in Holy Scripture. In reflection upon these words God speaks to our hearts, in reflecting upon how they can be applied, we find God’s will for us.
There are, of course other important ways to come to know God and his Son. We learn to recognize them in the community of faith as we are supported and strengthened through our association with faith filled brothers and sisters. We find God and His Son in prayer, in song, and most especially in the Sacraments as he pours out his graces upon us in the loving act of sacrifice.
As we set our minds to reflect upon the year that is passing and the new year that is coming, let us dedicate a larger part of our energy and effort toward leaning to find Christ and His Father in our lives and to accede to his will for us. May we learn to recognize the Lord as Anna and Simeon did in the Temple.
Pax
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 1 John 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Jn 2:12-17
St. John addresses his audience singularly on Sin and forgiveness using an interesting metaphor for the trinity; Children, Fathers, Young Men. The believing community he addresses is armed through faith against the evil one. He focuses in his last paragraph on avoiding the secular focus on “things” of the world, saying that they are of the world and therefore unworthy, leading away from God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 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!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10
While a song of praise, the psalmist reminds us that even in praise we need to offer what we have in gratitude. The structure is familiar – we are given first the audience, then the response, and final praise as a response from God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 2:36-40
There was also 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 2:36-40
Continuing our story surrounding the presentation of Jesus, today we hear from the prophetess Anna. This role for widows to prophesy in the temple was not uncommon. The symbolism depicting Anna has clear linkage back to Old Testament events, beginning with seven, rabbinical literature recognizes seven as the number of prophetesses -Sarah, Miriam Exodus 15:20, Deborah Judges 4:4, Hannah mother of Samuel 1 Samuel 2:1, Abigail wife of David 1 Samuel 25:32, Huldah 2 Kings 22:14, and Esther. These women gave witness to God’s will, at least in their holiness and spoke in his name. Anna, in this prophetic role (Phanuel translates as “face of God” and Asher as “good luck”), echoes the words of Simeon saying that this young baby is the redemption of Jerusalem – the city represents all of the elect.
The final verses provide a glimpse of Jesus’ necessary hidden life in Nazareth. He grows in faith and stature in preparation for the mission assigned to him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Anna recognizes God in Jesus as did Simeon. What did they see? Both virtually lived in the Temple. So many families must have come to carry out the prescriptions of the Law of Moses, yet the arrival of an insignificant, poor seeming family – Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, triggered a response completely unique in the lives of both Anna and Simeon.
According to the years mentioned, Anna would have been 104 years old. This may have symbolically placed her in the company of Judith who lived to be 105 (Judith 16:23). Her service to the community was to identify the coming Messiah. But what did she see that brought her to this momentous conclusion? How did she know God was there? We are told that Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit. Anna must have been under similar impulse. Their testimony gives ancient proof to the Lord’s identity and we pause to wonder. If we had been in the temple, would we have been able to perceive the holiness of Jesus and has family? Have we attuned ourselves to the Holy Spirit to a point were we recognize God’s finger prints as they are made?
This is part of the challenge of our faith journey. To build up our perceptive ability to a point were we recognize God’s handiwork as we encounter it. Lapsing to analogy, it is like the scientist who has prepared, through long years of education and study, to witness a subtle result in an experiment that allows them to come to correct conclusions and great discovery. Without that training and preparation, that true meaning remains hidden.
And for us, as we prepare for the new year, how do we prepare to see and understand the Lord’s incursions into our lives? The only way we will see and understand what God does is to learn who he is and how he works. This revelation comes from a number of avenues. One of which we practice together in this space. We read God’s Word – the Lord’s voice preserved for us through inspired authors, captured for us in Holy Scripture. In reflection upon these words God speaks to our hearts, in reflecting upon how they can be applied, we find God’s will for us.
There are, of course other important ways to come to know God and his Son. We learn to recognize them in the community of faith as we are supported and strengthened through our association with faith filled brothers and sisters. We find God and His Son in prayer, in song, and most especially in the Sacraments as he pours out his graces upon us in the loving act of sacrifice.
As we set our minds to reflect upon the year that is passing and the new year that is coming, let us dedicate a larger part of our energy and effort toward leaning to find Christ and His Father in our lives and to accede to his will for us. May we learn to recognize the Lord as Anna and Simeon did in the Temple.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “The Presentation in the Temple” (detail) by Pieter Jozef Varhaghen, 1767
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved
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