Who is Anna the Widow?

"There was a prophetess, Anna... She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer." (Luke 2: 36, 37).

Monday, December 30 2019, 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas. Our Gospel today is about  Anna, the widow. Married young and lost her husband after only seven years of marriage, Anna decided not to remarry but rather to dedicate the rest of her life serving God in the Temple. She did this through worshipping, and continuous fasting and prayer. Anna is the first Evangelist mentioned in the Gospels, as she "spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem." (Luke 2: 38).

When she was 84 years old, the Lord rewarded Anna for her long faithful service. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, she walked into the Temple when Mary and Joseph were in the Temple to present the Child Jesus to the Lord. "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." (Luke 2: 38).

Brethren, the story of Anna teaches us that it is good to serve the Lord faithfully. Anna and Mary are two examples of great faithfulness in serving God not for one year or 10 years or 50 years but day after day all life long. But what is most admirable is the faithfulness of God. The Bible says that faithfulness is the essence of who God is. Both Anna, Mary and Joseph responded to the faithful love and mercies of God to them.
May we do the same.

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