As you begin your preparation, pause for a few moments and focus your attention on your breathing. Take several deep breaths. Be aware of God's loving presence within you.
Luke 2:22-24
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord," and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Mary and Joseph were following Mosaic Law when they brought Jesus to the Temple. Their action probably went unnoticed by those passing through the Temple that day. But two people did notice-Simeon and Anna because they were eagerly awaiting the coming of the Messiah. A focal point for their waiting was the Temple, where the community gathered to pray and to learn the lessons of Scripture. Like Anna and Simeon, when we wait in hope and pay attention to our surroundings, we too will see God revealed before our very eyes.
When I join my faith community for prayer, does routine and familiarity prevent me from seeing what God is revealing?
Who has been like Simeon and Anna on my faith journey?
(Speak to God, using these words or a prayer of your own.)
God of life, we wait in joyful hope for your kingdom to be revealed in its fullness. Open our eyes to recognize your Son in everyone we meet today.