December 30: Anna and Simeon / Ana y Simeón

According to the Gospel of St. Luke, when Jesus was ritually presented in the Temple (along with the prescribed sacrifice), His future was foretold by an eighty-four year old woman, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel. (See Luke 2, 36-40) Anna was serving God night and day, with fasting and prayer. We could say that she also had a “preaching ministry,” since she spoke of the child Jesus to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. We don’t know how old her companion Simeon was, but probably he was of a similar age. He too had been waiting a long time to see the Christ, and after greeting Him he felt ready to leave this life in peace. He too was a man of prayer guided by the Holy Spirit. Such were the people who could sense the significance of the Child being carried into the Temple by the young couple. It was a happy meeting of youth and old age. 

No matter what age we are at, our calling as followers of the Lord is to bless and grace others by our presence and our words. Think of this: all of the people who met in the Temple that day were the better for that meeting – Mary, Joseph, Anna, Simeon, and even the Child Jesus Himself ... which might prompt us to ask two questions, “Are others the better for having met us? And do we want them to be?”

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En Lucas 2,36-40, en el mismo escenario de la profecía del anciano Simeón, aparece una anciana y sabia mujer, Ana, que proclama que está pronta la Salvación, que el Señor Dios nunca abandona sus promesas. Y le da gracias por todas las generaciones pasadas y las que vendrán. 

La sabiduría de Simeón y Ana abre a la paz de quien sabe que nada es para siempre. Inclina a la generosidad e impulsa a la humildad de quien sabe que solo depende de Dios.