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The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Readings of the Day
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We're all familiar with hearing about the Presentation of the
Lord during the Christmas season, and always when we pray the fourth
Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. Along with Simeon, there was an elderly
woman present when Mary and Joseph arrived in the Temple of the Lord
on the fortieth day after Jesus' birth. That woman was the
prophetess Anna, a widow estimated to have been around 84 years old.

If you were asked to reflect on Anna, what characteristics would you
use to describe her? She was faithful and hopeful. She faithfully
waited for the coming of the Messiah to the Temple. Anna was holy. She
adored the Lord's house and desired to always be nearby. 
She never left the Temple. She was a person of great self-denial. She
prayed and fasted day and night. Anna was evangelical. She spoke to
all travelers about the child. She was joyful. Her joy was truly
reflective as it danced in her heart, proclaiming the good news of the
Messiah.

Today we are two days shy of the start of the new year, 2022. This is
the time of year when many take on New Year's resolutions. We
are all so familiar with the popular resolutions; none need to be
mentioned. As 2021 comes to an end, ponder the following questions for
the New Year: How can you be more like the prophetess Anna in your
daily work and personal life? Imagine living your life with faith and
hope, not knowing the exact day good news is to arrive, but in
constant preparation for its arrival in the temple of your heart. What
would that look like? What would it feel like? It truly is a full
surrender in a time of uncertainty as we shift and pivot to what comes
our way. Could this truly be the secret of how Anna lived 84+ years?

Karen Candelas serves as the Gabriel Project Coordinator of the St.
Gabriel's Pregnancy and Parenting Program of Catholic Charities
of Central Texas.



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