In today’s Gospel we meet Anna, the very enfleshment of what Jesus will define later as “the poor”, or “a little child of God”. Her poverty of spirit enabled her to recognize him as the Redeemer. I will pray to get to know Anna better so as to try to ingraft in myself the characteristics of “the poor”, “the little child of God”; thereby live the joy of Christmas throughout the coming year.
In the 1st reading John gives a formula of how this may come about. He tells me my salvation is anchored in deepening my knowledge of God, who pardons my sins, keeps me from the power of Satan, encourages daily mortification and gives me the grace to glorify him, the creator of this passing world, which is making its speedy departure.
Now, I take all this insight back to the Gospel where, after the Anna encounter, John describes that at Nazareth Jesus began going through the physical and psychological stages of development characteristic of every human being.
This means every person, no matter what his age, can find in Jesus the model of his own personal development.
It also means that everyone, at every stage of his life can aspire to live closer to God, as “a little child” and as “a poor” brother or sister to all men and woman throughout his world.