The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.  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.

We can learn a lot about how to live a holy life by following Anna’s example. We should spend more time in the presence of the Lord not only in church (via the mass, adoration, etc.), but also in fasting and prayer. We should also make a point to give thanks to God for every day He has given us in this life and speak to others about Jesus and the salvation he offers to all. It can be so easy to get caught up in the worries of the world and forget about spending time with God. We should seek out God’s presence in our lives and let Him speak to us through the sacraments and our daily reflections on the graces He has given us.

How can we better worship God, both day and night? How can we cultivate the habits of fasting and prayer? How can we express our thanks to God for all He has done for us?

O Lord, thank you for your redeeming graces in our lives.

Amen.