REFECTION/HOMILY FOR SATURDAY SIXTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS 30TH DECEMBER 2023
REFECTION/HOMILY FOR SATURDAY SIXTH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS 30TH DECEMBER 2023 1John 2:12-17; Ps.96; Luke 2:36-40 Preserving the Joy of Christmas In the gospel reading of today, Anna the prophetess represents all who wait upon the Lord. Like Anna, we are never disappointed. No matter how long it takes, the Lord is always true to his promises. Today, Anna is seen giving thanks and showing the new born king to all as a sign that her long years of prayer were not in vain. Similarly, we rejoice at Christmas because the Lord has come to redeem us. It is to us who have been redeemed by the coming of the Messiah that the first reading is addressed. John, in his first letter, gives us the secret to preserving the joy of the Lord’s presence in and with us: Do not love the world or the things in the world. This is because the demand of the world is contrary to the demands of our Christian faith. So, to love the world will mean to turn against God. When we turn against the Lord, we loo...