anna didn't miss her day
"Coming on the scene at this moment, [Anna] gave thanks to God and talked about the Child to all." —Luke 2:38
Anna the prophetess had been coming to the Temple to worship for roughly sixty years — over twenty-thousand days worshipping God daily in the Temple! How easy it would be to not be alert the one day out of twenty-thousand that the Savior and Messiah showed up! Moreover, Anna didn't have the benefit of advance notice that the Lord had given to Simeon (see Lk 2:26). Anna had to be ready and alert every day for twenty-thousand days. She resembled the wise virgins who kept their lamp filled with oil (Mt 25:4) and were ready when the Master appeared.
I have been attending Holy Mass daily for the last twenty-seven years. That is about nine-thousand days of Masses. Though I try hard at each Mass to listen to God's Word to hear what He wants written for this booklet, I have failed so many times to be alert or even remember the main theme of Mass. Anna the prophetess is remarkable at listening to God and being ready to respond and speak. How easy it would have been for her to miss the moment, just like the people of Jerusalem missed the time of their visitation (Lk 19:44). However, Anna was ready, and for eternity her faithfulness will be proclaimed.
Be an Anna. Listen daily to the Lord in expectant and alert faith.
Prayer: Father, I don't want to miss even one drop of the love You pour out upon me. Grant me a new heart and mind to listen for You.
Promise: "The world with its seductions is passing away but the man who does God's will endures forever." —1 Jn 2:17
Praise: Although Sarah is bedridden, she reads the daily eucharistic readings and makes a daily spiritual Communion.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 3, 2017
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