Anna, the Prophetess, with the Holy Family in the Temple Reflection (2

Anna, the prophetess, with the Holy Family in the Temple Reflection (2) adapted from Living Space commentary on Feast of Holy Family (B) – 31 Dec 17 Sir 3:2-6, 12-14, Col 3:12-21, Luke 2:22-40 Full commentary can be found in Living Space section of Sacred Space at www.sacredspace.ie “There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile, the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.” Luke 2: 36-40 This Gospel passage describes an incident during the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, following the meeting earlier of Mary and Joseph with Simeon. Another person was present on that day. Her name was Anna and she is described as a prophetess, in other words a person who was a spokesperson for God. One does not often meet women prophets in the Scriptures; most of them are men. She was also elderly and had only lived for seven years with her husband. She was now 84 and had been a widow all these years. Again, widows were at the lowest rung of the social ladder. They could not produce children, nor had they much chance of getting re-married. In many ways they were social nobodies. But Anna was a deeply spiritual person who spent her waking hours in the Temple, praying and fasting. She came on the scene just as Jesus and his parents were in the Temple. She, too, like Simeon must have realised the true identity of the Child and gave thanks to God. She then began to speak about the Child to everyone, especially those awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. This short passage says a few important things: – Our social status is of no consequence where our relationship with God is concerned. – If we want to be close to God, prayer has to be a very important part of our day. – Jesus can come into our life at any time and in any place – it may be a church or it may be a disco. – Once we really come to know Jesus, we cannot keep it to ourselves but must share the experience with the people around us, especially those who are looking for some meaning in their lives. Pause for thought Do we notice Jesus coming into our lives every day? How do we share our experience of Jesus with others? .

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