1John 2:12 -17, Luke 2:36 – 40

Today’s readings remind us of three important things in our life. First, from the first reading, Saint John tells us to Resist the World. From the Gospel, we learn two things from Prophetess Anna. The first is Prayer, and the second is how to be righteous.

After the birth of Messiah, Jesus is given the name according to the Annunciation. Jesus is a person standing within the Mosaic covenant. According to the Jewish law, the woman needed ritual purification 40 days after the childbirth. Circumcision took place 7 days after birth, and purification occurred 33 days after circumcision (Lev. 12:3-4).

It was also the day when the firstborn male would be consecrated to God. This event occurs according to the law. It presents Jesus as standing firm in the Mosaic tradition. The sacrifice of two pigeons is offered, also per the law. Joseph and Mary offer two pigeons instead of a lamb and a turtledove because they are poor. In this context, 40 days after Jesus’s birth, Simenon awaited the consolation of Israel. He defines the Messiah’s identity as Savior. Waiting for the consolation of Israel as it attested in the later words: he would not die before seeing Messiah.

In Today’s Gospel, we heard about the prophetess Anna. She became a widow after seven (7) years of her marriage. At this time, she was advanced in age, and we are told that she was 84 years old. Despite this, she never left the temple. She worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. This must be a character of every Christian, you and I. Widows were considered vulnerable members of society, often facing poverty, social isolation, and exploitation. That is why the five books of the Torah emphasize the importance of protecting and caring for widows (Exodus 22:22-24).

The experience of widowhood can be seen as a test of faith, requiring trust in God’s providence and care. (Psalm 37:25). The time when something in your life is not working, how do you feel? How do you settle it? When you are deceived by your children, how do you behave? Is there anything that takes you away from the presence of God? You must show your faith through your widowhood. You must show your faith through your poverty. You must also manifest your faith through your problems.

Do you feel like God does not care about you? God loves you immensely. That is why He sent his Son to us. He wanted to give us back hope. He wanted to give us strength to resist the World. There are people who really need to see the love of God from you. Your children need to see the love of God from you. Your family needs to see the love of God from you. Allow Jesus Christ to be born in your heart and in your family. You need to smile. Have Joy even in your problems. Christmas must bring Joy, Hope and Faith in our heart.

This is a question u can ask yourself: Is my life working? Is your life working? It’s a simple question, really. How can we know if our is working through all the storm around us day and night? We can’t look at another person’s life and know. Still, most of the time, we understand how well our own life is (or isn’t) working. When we think upon our lives, we usually discover that in some ways they are functioning well. In other ways, they are dysfunctional. In some ways you are flourishing, but in other ways you are experiencing dissatisfaction. God is speaking to you through your dissatisfaction.

The danger zone is marked by comfort. When we forget God because of what we own, because of good life of this moment that perish. This is what Saint John is telling us in the first reading that we need to RESIST THE WORLD (2:12-17).  

He said “Do not Love the world or things of world. If anyone Loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Everything in the world is not from the Father. This includes sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life. It is from the world.”

What do you own that can’t perish? Money, beauty, good healthy, your youth ages, good family? Do not boast for any of them but have Faith and pray. It is by observing the commandments of the Lord we can resist the World. Observance of the law of Christ effectively removes the Christian from the influence of that world from which Christ prayed that his disciples might be free (Jn 17:9-26)

The acceptance of Christian faith is the conquest of Satan (cf. 3:8,10; 5:18f.), because the object of this faith is the one who has conquered Satan (Jn 16:1I). Faith does not deceive. It is Only through prayer we know what matter most and what matter least. If your life isn’t working, what are you willing to do about it? Nothing will change your life so completely, absolutely, and forever like learning how to really pray. In prayer we learn who we are and what we are here for, what matters most and what matters least. In prayer we learn how to love and be loved. We discover that we have been loved by God. We are loved by God. We will continually be loved by God.

Meditating upon your life, what do you need to resist of this world in your life? What takes away from God? Are you a widow? Do you feel like God does not care about you? Take to God in Prayer