Luke 2:36-40

1 John 2:12-17

Psalm 96:7-8a, 8B-9, 10

Luke 2:36-40

There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. 
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. 
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. 
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth. 
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, fill me with your Spirit so that I may testify to your love and the love of your Son in this world. I am a prophet by my baptism, and only with your grace can I live out my prophetic vocation.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Symbolism of the Prophetess Anna’s Age: In the Gospel, we meet Anna, an elderly prophetess from the ancient northern tribe of Asher. Luke gives special attention to her age, 84, which has the symbolic meaning of 7 (perfection) times 12 (the number of tribes of Israel). She was likely married at 14, lived with her husband for 7 years until she was 21, and has been a widow for the last 63 years. While Mary represents Israel as a virgin mother, Anna represents Israel as a suffering widow. The three stages of Anna’s life parallel three stages in Israel’s history. The years of her youth refer to the time of preparation for the kingdom of Israel. The 7 years of her marriage refer to the time of the Davidic kings, who acted as royal husbands. The long years of widowhood indicate the time of Israel’s and Judah’s exile and the time of waiting for the restoration of the kingdom. Anna is now 84, and this indicates that Israel’s story is being brought to fulfillment and that the prophecies, like those of Isaiah, are being fulfilled: “The reproach of your widowhood no longer remember. For your husband is your Maker; the Lord of hosts is his name, Your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 54:4-5; see 62:4-5, 12). “Isaiah is portraying the Lord God as Israel’s bridegroom redeemer – that is, the kinsman who redeems a childless widow by marrying her (see Ruth 4:5-6, 14)” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 72). Anna’s story is coupled with that of Simeon, who, like her, was waiting for God to bring about the “consolation of Israel” and the “redemption of Jerusalem.” Anna and Simeon represent the prophets, who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, communicated God’s Word to the people of Israel. Anna and Simeon both pointed to Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, Consoler, Savior, Bridegroom, and Redeemer of Israel.

2. Kings: The opening two chapters of Luke’s Gospel – which we frequently read from and meditate on during Advent and Christmas – not only show how Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecies in the Old Testament but also that Jesus was the true king. Herod the Great was the King of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth (Luke 1:5). But he was just a puppet king appointed by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C. Herod forcibly took control of Jerusalem in 37 B.C. when he defeated the Hasmonean king and high priest Antigonus II. Herod, though, was not the true king of Israel. He was not a royal descendant of David, and he only reigned as a client-king of Caesar Augustus. In his Gospel, Luke subtly takes all the titles that Caesar Augustus claimed to have and gives them to Jesus, the real and true King of the entire universe. Caesar Augustus claimed to be the son of a god and the savior of the world and exercised his authority by decreeing an enrollment or census of the entire world (Luke 2:1). Jesus, by contrast, is truly the Son of God and Savior. He is Lord over all creation. And as our true king, Jesus isn’t interested in extending his empire through military conquests or increasing his wealth through taxation. He doesn’t need a census to know us, for, as our good shepherd, he knows each one of us by name. Jesus wants to reign in our hearts and in our society and extend his justice, peace, charity, and mercy to all humanity.

3. Priests: Luke’s narrative about the births of John and Jesus also focuses on the priesthood and the Temple. Earlier, we learned about Zechariah and his encounter with Gabriel in the Temple. The old priesthood was coming to an end, and a new priesthood would be inaugurated by Jesus. The Holy of Holies of the old Temple was empty when Zechariah burned incense for the evening sacrifice. The old Ark of the Covenant was not there. And so, when Luke tells the story of Mary traveling from Galilee to the hill country of Judah and then later to Jerusalem, he points to her as the new Ark of the Covenant, who had in her womb the Word of God, the Bread of Life, and the eternal High Priest. The story of Jesus’ birth, then, highlights how the ancient prophecies are fulfilled and how we are called to be prophets in the world by announcing the salvation that Jesus brings. It highlights how Jesus is Lord of all and how we are called to share in Jesus’ royal office by extending the Kingdom of God throughout the world. Finally, it highlights the new priesthood inaugurated by Jesus and how we are called to offer ourselves to God as a pleasing sacrifice.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the faithful and merciful High Priest, who intercedes for me at the Father’s right hand. As the Word of God, you are the Prophet who is greater than Moses. You are the King, who reigns forever at the right hand of the Father.

Living the Word of God: The baptized serve as priests through their sacrificial efforts to bring people to God. They serve as prophets through their witness to the truth in word and deed. And they serve as kings in their efforts to lead others – again through word and deed – to use their talents to advance the Kingdom of God (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1241). How am I living my prophetic calling? How am I living my priestly calling? How am I living my royal calling?