Anna the Prophetess

"She never left the temple,but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. "(Lk 2:36-40) In order to be a prophetess, Anna had to be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is she was filled with the same Holy Spirit that we have been given in our Baptism. On this Christmas Day it would be good if we could take some time to reflect on the example of this holy woman. After all we share the same Spirit. Although Anna lived 2000 years ago, the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Most Holy Trinity and is Eternal. Thus it is that the same Spirit that draws us to reflect upon the holy woman Anna. Anna was drawn to the Temple of the Lord in the midst of her suffering. She was a young women, married only seven years when she became a widow. Drawn to the Temple, to the presence of the Lord of Hosts, she found consolation, and purpose to her life. We are called to do the same, especially in our suffering. In particular when our lives are not turning out as we thought they would, or because we wish things were different. We can enter into the Eucharistic Presence of our Lord to find consolation and purpose. Like Anna we can dedicate our lives to the Lord, and rely upon Him for everything; taking comfort in the fact that the the Comforter Himself draws us continually into the Eucharistic Presence of our Savior. Then, as happened to Anna, we can enter deeper into our life of prayer, because we will follow the promptings of the Comforter, and not our own wants and desires. Thus we will be able to sacrifice and fast. Thus we will be able to grow in Faith, Hope, and Love, while embracing the Lord Jesus, even as we are being embraced by the Comforter. We will believe that our Redemption is at hand, and we will no longer live in fear. Like Anna we will give thanks to God and speak to people about Jesus who is the cause of all our Joy.