GOSPEL

She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 2, 36-40

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 word of the Lord.

Complaints and praises.

We see in Anna a woman, very old, yet full of life. She arrives praising God. Can one be complaining and praising God at the same time? Can one be bitter and praise God? Anna was happy in her old age because she had dedicated her entire life to surrendering herself to God. First as a wife, then as a widow, but with her heart set on the love of God and allowing herself to be filled with the love of God. She spoke to everyone about the Lord, communicating to them the love she had received from Him.

As a husband, I know that the only thing preventing me from being happy in life is myself when I do not focus my heart on God, but instead, put my joy and hope in my expectations. If I want to live happily even in old age, I have to set my heart on the Lord, serving the Lord through my vocation.

As the catechism says: Man has been created by God and for God, and only in God will he find the truth and happiness that he constantly seeks.

Applied to married life:

Antonio: Lately, you’ve been complaining a lot, not giving me the attention I need, and I can’t be happy like this.

Marga: I feel the same way. I don’t feel valued by you, you ask things of me that you don’t do yourself… and I don’t feel you in my heart.

Antonio: We need to do something, but certainly, looking at ourselves won’t get us anywhere. That’s not love.

Marga: I think the solution is that we stop looking at ourselves and start being spouses not to receive from the other, but to give glory to God, with our hearts set on God. It’s a decision: I am going to love you, specifically you, because it’s the mission God has entrusted to me and because He is in you.

Antonio: You’re right. God doesn’t deserve us to respond like this after creating us with love and assigning us this wonderful marital mission, with all its excitement, so that we become saints through it. Let’s love each other with our eyes on Him. I’m beginning to regain joy!

Marga: Yes, and hope. Let’s go for it! I’m going to love you so much, you’re going to be amazed!

Antonio: Haha, and I to you. You’re going to be amazed!

Mother,

We seek happiness outside of God and we won’t find it. We need constant conversion to regain the true perspective, which will allow us to be happy until the end of our days. Surrendering ourselves for God and with God. Glory to God!