Opening Prayer: The day of joy returns, Father in Heaven, and
crowns another year with peace and good will.
Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the
song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise
men. Close the doors of hate and open
the doors of love all over the world. Let
kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil, by the blessing that
Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts. Amen. ~Robert Louis Stevenson
Scripture: Luke 2:36-38
Journal: What about Anna captures your heart? What do you love about the description of
her? What do you think Anna would have
to say to you? What does God have to say
to you through Anna?
Reflection:
Anna, her name means grace. And her description is as compelling as her
name: “She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer
night and day.” Anna was absolutely consumed with God, and the things of God,
even though, in her younger years, life had evidently thrown her some pretty
nasty curveballs.
But somewhere along the way—though we are
not told exactly when or where or how—she had been captured by God’s grace. God had put his song in her heart and she
could not stop singing it. It is what
she did both day and night; she sang continuously to God. She was so full of his song within her that
she simply had no choice, it was what poured out of her soul whenever she
opened her mouth. I wonder if it was
that song in her heart that allowed her to recognize exactly what was happening
in the temple on this particular day.
For, when she saw the baby Jesus being presented, the song once again
poured forth—a song of thanksgiving, a song of deliverance, a song of hope, a
song of redemption. After all of
those years of waiting and watching, the Word had finally become flesh,
and she wanted everyone to know about it.
Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Closing Prayer: Lord, during this Christmas season, may we be like Anna, not departing from your temple, but worshipping, fasting, and praying night and day. May we, like her, be constantly giving thanks for the gift of your redemption, both in our lives and in our world. Amen.
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