THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
A Reflection on Luke 2: 22-40
The coming of the child Jesus to the temple to be presented to God according to the Law of Moses took place forty days after his birth. Today's reading, a part of Luke’s Infancy Narrative, is a masterpiece of simplicity that weaves together several themes fundamental to the gospel story. What a contrast between the arrival of kings at their palaces and the scene sketched by Luke, in which all the characters are from the anawim – the poor and humble ones of God’s people, to whom, like the shepherds, the first Good News blessings were announced. Luke underlines the fact that the Holy Family made the presentation in fulfilment of the Law of Moses, showing them to be faithful, as were the thousands of others who fulfilled the requirements of Leviticus.
However, this presentation became like no other, not only because of who was presented, Jesus the Messiah, but because of the arrival on the scene of two elderly believers, Simeon and Anna. Both of them had been waiting all their lives for this event; now was their time of revelation and fulfillment. Simeon cries out his prophecy, "My eyes have seen your salvation," although it is Anna who is named in the text as the prophet; as such, she outranks Simeon, and becomes the only named female prophet in the New Testament. Luke gives her great honour in doing so, thus honouring all women and their role in salvation history – but especially the contribution of elderly women.
Luke paints a picture of Anna as dedicated, faith-filled and hopeful, even as Simeon, that one day she would see the glory of the Lord. Living out her faith, 'she spent all her days in the Temple,' that is, in the house of God. She did not just hang around because the Temple was cool and convenient; rather, she actively meditated and prayed, because Anna's vocation, having been married once, was now to pray without ceasing, day and night, as Luke point out. Such dedication and holiness! And yet, in Luke's text she says nothing, in contrast to Simeon who cries aloud. Her prayer was humble and silent. This is the meaning of 'living in the Temple,' living in God's spiritual house of prayer.
In my time as a priest, I have met many like Anna. Women in their later years, their family obligations now fulfilled, they had time to be in God's temple. I met them when they came to the Janssen Spirituality Centre in Boronia (Melbourne), our SVD prayer house, where they were regular attendees at meditation and centering prayer. When I celebrated Mass at the nearby St Joseph's church, there was an elderly lady in the back row. Let's call her Maise. She was always there, before most had arrived, and was there after they had gone. She was over 90 when I first knew her and as far as I know, she is still there.
Our churches have many women such as Anna in the congregations. They uphold the prayer vocation of the Church; they pray silently for you and me. They may be unnoticed in the melee of the Sunday gathering, we may overlook them because they are so quiet. Yet they hold within themselves a dedication to prayer that even priests might envy. So, next time you attend the Mass, take a look around at the elderly ones. Amongst them might be one called Anna.