Today’s Gospel tells the story of a young couple bringing their infant child to the temple. There they encounter Simeon and Anna, two elderly individuals filled with faith. When Simeon met the infant Jesus, his immediate response was prayer – he blessed God. His prayer, now part of the Church’s official night prayer, expresses gratitude and the recognition of God’s salvation. Anna, on the other hand, responded by speaking to others about Jesus, particularly to those awaiting God’s special intervention in their lives.
Simeon’s encounter with Jesus moved him to lift his heart to God in prayer, while Anna’s encounter inspired her to bear witness to others. Their contrasting yet complementary responses reveal two vital ways of welcoming the Lord: through prayer and through witness.
Venerable Fr Francis Libermann, the Spiritans’ “second founder”, whose annual Feast Day falls on 2nd February, was also inspired by an encounter with Jesus. He too was called to prayer and witness, and he invited others to do likewise.
Like Simeon and Anna, and Francis Libermann, we too are called to receive the Lord. Through our words and actions, we bear witness to this light, proclaiming the Lord’s presence in our lives. As the light of the world entered the temple in Jerusalem, he has also entered our hearts.
Photo by David Monje on Unsplash