＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

1John 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 this belongs to the world, not to the Father.  The world passes away with all its craving but those who do the will of God remain for ever.

 

Ps 96:7-8a, 8b-9, 10

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 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 eighty-four. 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.

 

Gospel Reflection：

The episode at the temple with Simeon is completed in today’s Gospel. Mary and Joseph fulfill the law of Moses and Simeon tells them that their son Jesus would fulfill the will of the Father.

Jesus the light of the nations, will reveal God’s immense love for man by his ascent to the cross, the sign of contradiction (and the sign that the world hates). Anna, the prophetess spoke of the mission of the child in Mary’s arms. He will be the Savior.

But that moment was yet in the distant future. Meantime, Mary and Joseph having redeemed their firsborn, return to Nazareth to prepare their son for his mission. Nazareth becomes the school for Jesus, the Redeemer. The Gospel tells us that he grew in age and wisdom in Nazareth. The hidden years of Jesus, some 30years.

Who were the teachers of Jesus? Joseph and Mary. Form Joseph, the righteous one, Jesus must have learned the Law and the Prophets. From Joseph Jesus must have learned the wisdom to discern the Father’s holy will.

From his mother, Jesus must have learned the joy of listening to God, humbly and in faith. How blesse was Jesus to age in wisdom in the company of Joseph and Mary! May we be taught also by the teachers of Jesus so that we, too, may grow in age and wisdom.