Readings
1 John 2: 12-17
Luke 2: 36-40
Reflection
“By the end of the first two chapters of his Gospel, every one of Luke’s readers will have found someone in the story with whom they identify”
Biblical Scholar N T Wright suggests that by the end of the first two chapters of his Gospel, every one of Luke’s readers will have found someone in the story with whom they identify. Luke makes clear that the baby in the Christmas narrative, is not just for Israel, but for the whole world.
Joseph and Mary had travelled to Bethlehem, and at Jesus birth they encountered angels and shepherds. An older couple (Zechariah and Elizabeth) were amazed to have a child and the young girl Mary had been surprised to also be having a child. Now Mary and Joseph come to the Temple to make the prescribed offering and they meet an old man Simeon and an aged female prophetess Anna, who have been praying all their lives for the Messiah to come. Both make predictions about who Jesus is.
N T Wright points out that Luke mentions the manger three times in the early part of his story. Luke uses the manger to highlight the difference between the weakness, insignificance and vulnerability of the kingdom Jesus will proclaim, and the power and dominance of the kingdom of Rome. The characters surrounding the birth of Jesus contribute to this unlikely kingdom, and today’s appearance of the 84-year-old Anna highlights this.
For each of us, this is a reminder that whether we are young or old, whether a worker in a distant field, whether we feel worthy or not, whether we think others are worthy or not, God’s love and God’s call to belong to an all-inclusive family, is offered to absolutely everyone. Our mission to share this good news of Christmas with passion. Anna could see it. So may we!
Brian Traynor CP has been involved in faith formation for many years especially in the form of parish missions and through the Passionist Family Group Movement. Brian is a member of the Passionist community at Holy Cross, Templestowe.