In the afterglow of Christmas, the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family. This weekend we are invited to reflect on the gift and mystery of life and the blessing of family life in particular.
In the Gospel of Luke, where we see Jesus presented in the Temple, there are two wisdom figures --- Simeon and Anna burning brightly with outstretched arms. Simeon has waited a long time to receive Jesus, to hold him. He sings his song of gratitude once he meets the baby whom he believes will change the world. Anna, the only woman in the Gospel who is called a prophetess and who had fasted in the Temple night and day during her long widowhood, spoke of Jesus as the one who would redeem Israel. These two elders, whose lives are spent in waiting and wondering, remind us that life does not always unfold in the way we may want. But enter Jesus into the mix, and we experience a new way to ‘grow up,’ develop and age, making peace with ourselves, our families, and our world.
These two grandparent figures, seemingly out of place and forgotten in the Temple, remind us that ours is a God of surprises, that grace abounds on the margins as much as in the maintenance, and how God’s choice to be born poor calls us to choose friendship with the poor at every turn. It is Anna and Simeon who tell us to look beyond great empires and find God among the lowliest and downtrodden. How similar is the clarion message of Pope Francis who challenges powerful nations, including our own, and wants our great Church to be poor for the poor! Giant empires, no; gentle hearts yes!
At the end of this scene, we learn that Mary ponders all this in her heart. How many other mothers, just like Mary, need to balance pains, tensions, and contradictions within their hearts? As disciples, we are brought into this similar dynamic as we seek to wrestle with the issues of our own day in like fashion.
As St. Paul writes about putting on Christ, he leads us to find our merciful self: clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. With these attributes, the Word of God can dwell in our lives, our families, and our world.
God bless! Have a wonderful week! Have a blessed New Year!