THE SIXTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS - Gospel (Lk 2:36-40) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.” (Lk 2:37)

FIRST READING - 1 Jn 2:12-17

A reading from the Letter of John

I am writing to you, children,

because your sins have been forgiven for his name's sake.

I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you, young men,

because you have conquered the Evil One.

I write to you, children,

because you know the Father.

I write to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I write to you, young men,

because you are strong and the word of God remains in you,

and you have conquered the Evil One.

Do not love the world or the things of the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world,

sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,

is not from the Father but is from the world.

Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.

But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 2:36-40

From the Gospel according to Luke

There was a prophetess, Anna,

the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was advanced in years,

having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple,

but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

And coming forward at that very time,

she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child

to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions

of the law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee,

to their own town of Nazareth.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favor of God was upon him.

THE SIXTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS - Gospel (Lk 2:36-40)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear people of God,

In today's Word of God, God wants to tell all humanity to follow the example of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and the prophetess Anna. They are people who have lived to please God.

In today's world, God wants people to abandon all worldly passions, be determined to give up sin and sacrifice, fast, pray, unite closely with God, and live a simple, good, and holy life. Living these things will bring happiness to people, which is to see the face of God.

God wants to tell people in today's world: follow the example of Anna. She lived a life of humility, love, poverty, simplicity, sacrifice, praying day and night, closely united with God. And God gave her a reward in this life, which was that she saw the Son of God come down to earth, born as a human. There is nothing happier than being in the bosom of God, seeing God, and holding in her arms the Messiah - the One whom all people are waiting for. God wants people to be alert to the temptations of Satan, and to quickly carry out His will. Eliminate all passions to live a life of complete trust and confidence in God. Besides, God also wants people to follow the example of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. They have fulfilled everything that God wants on this earth, from material life to spiritual life, from natural life to supernatural life. God also wants all people to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God who came down to earth and became human. He obeyed God the Father and his earthly parents. He always fulfilled everything that God wanted of him.

In today's Word of God, God invites all of His children to unite more closely with God, to always be with God so that He can give them more strength and grace to please God and to have the strength to stay away from all occasions of sin, to abandon the sinful path that the world, the devil, and the flesh bring, to completely turn to the Supreme God, the only and eternal love.

God wants people to know how to wisely choose to carry out His will like the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and Mrs. Anna. Especially, to follow the example of Jesus Christ, always obeying God in all places and at all times, obeying until the last breath. God calls all mankind to sacrifice, mortify themselves, fast and pray unceasingly so that they can overcome the evil schemes of the devil and have the strength to carry out God's command, as His Word said, "Be on the alert and pray always, that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36).

Thanks be to God. Amen.

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