Wednesday, December 30, 2009
1 John 2: 12-17; Psalm 96; Luke 2: 36-40
Luke throughout his gospel parallels a man with a woman. Perhaps because Anna, called a prophet, is 84 years old, we imagine Simeon to be old as well. “She never left the temple” is an overstatement; there were no facilities for women (even for men; the priests lived at home and came at their appointed time to serve). Luke is steeped in a biblical spirituality so perhaps he is remembering Psalm 84 (see last Sunday) or even Psalm 23: “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”
How do you name your type of spirituality? Biblical? Liturgical? Sacramental? Marian? Christocentric? Spirit-ed or charismatic? What feeds your spiritual life, your relationship with God? Centering prayer? Ignatian contemplation? Not that it really makes any difference, for we pray as we can, not as some book or guru tells us. Thank God for the richness of our spiritual tradition.
Thank you for Anna’s speaking your word, God of grace and glory, to all who had ears to welcome salvation in the person of this helpless infant. Give us ears to hear the cry of children and the cry of the poor.