There are two scenes in Luke 2:22-40 where the Holy Family (Joseph, Mary and the child Jesus) coincidentally are blessed by elderly persons. Here’s what happened:
Shortly after Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple for purification rites, as was the custom. At the temple, they encountered Simeon, a devout and elderly man who had been waiting for the “consolation of Israel.” Guided by the Holy Spirit, Simeon took the child Jesus in his arms, praised God, and joyfully declared that, at long last, he had seen the promised Savior. Apparently, Simeon had been praying for a long time for this to happen. And it finally did!
When Anna, who is nearby in the temple, hears Simeon’s praises, she begins to tell others of the good news. Anna was a prophetess and an elderly widow who was in her 80s, and she spent her days and nights worshiping, fasting, and praying at the temple. And here we see that she is one of the first evangelists, telling others the good news.
My friends, may I invite you to draw inspiration from these two elderly figures, Anna and Simeon.
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