Reflection for Thursday December 30, Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord: Luke 2:36-40

Gospel: Luke 2:36-40

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.  

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

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Reflection:

What should we do to grow in wisdom about God? We should invest time with God. This is the secret on how to grow in wisdom about God. The prophetess Anna was eighty four years old, because of her advance age she could have simply stayed in their house, take things easy and do things her way but she did not.  

She invested the remaining years of her life with God she stayed in the temple she fasted and prayed there. No wonder she was filled with wisdom about God, if she did not spend time with God she surely wouldn’t be wisdom filled.  

Where do we spend most of our time in this world right now? Do we spend most our time by chasing the many pleasures of this world and we only give God a little of our time if at all we give God our time? 

 When are we going to spend more time with God? When we are already sickly and old for the reason that we are already retired and in need of God for the reason of our sickness? Let us not wait to grow old before we take God seriously, let us not wait for us to get sickly before we invest time with God.  Let us give God our time right now while we are young and strong.  

The mistake of many is they only go to God when they are already old and sickly. Some would even say this; “I will serve God now because I am already retired and have nothing to do anymore.”  

In our gospel the prophetess Anna was a constant presence in the temple she worshipped God day and night with fasting and prayer. Did she only give her time for God when she became old? Of course not! Even when she was younger she was already a fervent worshipper of God.  

How about us when are we giving some of our precious time for God? The best time to invest with God is now not tomorrow, not in the coming days or months but now. For we don’t know what may happen to our tomorrow we have to seize the moment now and lean towards God now.   

Are you willing to give God some of your time? – Marino J. Dasmarinas