What do you hope for? Simeon and Anna were holding out hope to see the Messiah and their hope was realized in the baby Jesus. Josef Rodriguez, SJ, reflects on hope and the great Hope of Jesus Christ. Based on the readings for Sunday, December 27, 2020.
What are you holding out hope for?
Merry Christmas! I’m Josef Rodriguez, and this is my One-Minute Reflection.
We are finally into the Christmas season. I know I’ve found myself singing, “Yes we need a little Christmas, right this very minute!” even before Advent started. Today we focus on the Holy Family; and in Luke’s Gospel we hear about their encounter with Simeon and Anna, two wise individuals who had been holding out hope for the coming of the Messiah. They were waiting for the first Christmas with even more anticipation and excitement than we have in 2020.
In challenging times like these, we find ourselves holding out hope, whether it’s for the New Year; for the end to wearing masks and safe-distancing; or for a realization of true justice for all human persons from womb to tomb. Simeon and Anna remind us that every single lowercase ‘h’ “hope” should be motivated by the one capital ‘H’ “Hope.” This Christmas season, let’s reflect on what our hopes are and invite Jesus to take part in them.