THE DAILY GOSPEL

December 30, 2014 - Tuesday 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas

Psalter: Week 1 Ps 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10 Let the heavens be glad and the earth re

joice! 1st Reading: 1 Jn 2:12-17

My dear children, I write this to you: You have already received the forgiveness of your sins, through the name of Jesus. Fathers, I write this to you: You know him, who is from the beginning. Young men, I write this to you: You have overcome the evil one. My dear children, I write to you, because you already know the Father.

Fathers, I write to you, because you know him, who is from the beginning. Young men, I write to you, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, who have, indeed, overcome the evil one.

Do not love the world, or what is in it. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For everything in the world—the craving of the flesh, the greed of eyes and people boasting of their superiority—all these, belong to the world, not to the Father.

The world passes away, with all its craving, but those who do the will of God remain forever. Gospel: Lk 2:36-40

There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father’s home, she had been seven years with her husband; and since then, she had been continually about the temple, serving God, as a widow, night and day, in fasting and prayer. She was now 84. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There, the child grew in stature and strength, and was filled with wisdom: The grace of God was upon him. Reflection

Old people are more sensitive to the changes that usually happen around them, Probably it’s because they are more attuned to the now, having their mortality firmly fixed in their mind. They savor the present unlike others who still have the time to focus on something else. Thus Anna was with an equally old man Simeon at the Temple when the baby Jesus was presented as was the custom. They thanked God for their good fortune. The hopes and fears of ages past was now right before their eyes. They die assured that God was and is true to His word.

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