The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Despite the superficial poverty and ostensible ordinariness of the Holy Family, it’s extremely interesting that the Infant Jesus was recognized by several figures at the time of the Presentation. As we hear today, one of these was Anna, a woman who had lived for long years as a widow devoted to a life of prayer, fasting, and worshipping the Lord. After so many decades of living such a life and cultivating such a deep relationship with God, how wondrous it must have been to be suddenly brought face-to-face with the infant Lord.
Anna is one of many arguably underrated figures whose life is often glossed over without a second thought. While perhaps impossible for us to know nearly any details of her daily life with any degree of certainty, the one certain thing that certainly matters most is her whole-hearted dedication to God. All of her time and energy were intentionally spent in the presence and service of the Lord.
It may not be practically possible for us to imitate Anna’s daily lifestyle, but it is necessary for us to imitate her interior disposition. We all have duties, responsibilities, and people to care for in our daily lives, but the ultimate question is just what we are we really living *for*. How do we spend our free time and resources? What occupies our thoughts as we go about our days? In imitation of Anna, do we put God first and make Him the center of all that we do? More than anything, how do we make time daily to cultivate our relationship with the Lord?