The gospel for today’s great feast introduces us to Simeon and Anna, a holy man and a holy woman who, in their advanced age continued to live with hope for the redemption of Israel. At this point, Christ has not performed any miracles, nor has he given us the Beatitudes, nor has he given his life for us on the cross, or risen from the dead. Scripture does not tell us, but it is likely that Anna and Simeon did not live to witness any of these acts of love, and yet they are happy. Their trust in God is so great that they know that in the defenseless and vulnerable Christ child lies the salvation of the entire world. They are satisfied with beholding in a visible form the salvation they hoped for their whole lives.
Meditating upon the example of Anna and Simeon enriches our life of prayer. They are reminders of our parents, grandparents, and loved ones who came before us and looked at us with great love and hope, affirming all the wonderful things that God could do in our lives. They teach us to live with hope, confident that God will continue actively laboring in our world even after we have left this earthly life. And they teach us to live with gratitude for all the acts of love which God in his mercy and kindness allows us to witness.