In the Father's Hand

In today’s Gospel, John 10: 22-30,  Jesus says to me and to you:  “You are my lamb; I know you, and you follow me.  I give you eternal life, Dorothy Ann (insert your name), and you shall never perish. No one can take you out of my hand. My Father, who has given you to me, is greater than all, and no one can take you out of my Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

“I give you eternal life, and you shall never perish!” Lord, the ultimate goal of my life is that I make it to eternity  as a faithful disciple, as a Christian,  to be with you forever. With You, Lord, and no one else. You and You alone. On Your part, Lord, You sacrificed Your life so that I might have eternal life with You. May I not disappoint You and choose otherwise.  Steer me on the path that leads to You and to You alone, as You did for each of Your apostles and 1000s of disciples since then. Following Your resurrection and in the midst of persecution, the disciples scattered to various parts of the world at that time.  They continued to make You known and 1000s of people came to know you, the one true God, the Redeemer of the world.  May, I too, no matter what the circumstances of my life, make you known, work for Your Cause, that all people may come to know you the Way, the Truth and the Life.   May I truly proclaim the Gospel with my life, as did the disciples in today’s first reading, Acts  11 19-26, because your hand is with me, as it was with them.  I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Simeon and Anna Recognize the Infant as Jerusalem's Deliverance

In today’s Gospel, Luke 2: 22-35, Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple to be circumcised. Mary herself goes through the ritual of purification.  As she and Joseph enter the Temple, Simeon and Anna are led by the Spirit into the Temple as well.  It has been revealed to Simeon that he will not see death until he sees the Christ, the Anointed One, the One who is the deliverance of Jerusalem.  Both Anna and Simeon recognize Jesus as the Savior of the world, the One who will be a Light to pagans and believers alike

How is sit that Simeon and Anna are given this privilege of recognizing the Lord?  Both are faith-filled persons.  Simeon we are told is an upright, devout man, one who was looking forward to Israel’s comforting and who readily followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Anna is also a devout woman, has never left the Temple day or night. She, too, prepared herself for this great day. Once we recognized Jesus, she made Him known to others.

In what ways do I prepare myself to recognize Jesus among us? And when I do recognize Him, how do I proclaim Him to others? Am I looking forward to encountering Jesus each day in the encounters I will have, in the requests  to help out the needy in  my midst?  And like Anna, do I give witness to Him by my attitudes and behaviors?

Help me, Lord, to  live an upright and a devout life as did both Anna and Simeon and be prepared today to encounter you in the events of the day. Forgive me for the many times I do not recognize you in the needs that are brought to my attention  each day: the need to be recognized, the need to be received with joy, gratitude and openness.