The Sixth Day

This is the sixth day in the Octave of Christmas.  Six days ago, we celebrated the birth of Jesus, an event so great that the Church recognizes it for a week as ONE DAY, the Octave of Christmas. We have seen that suffering and death are part of the message of Christmas in the martyrdom of St. Stephen and of the Holy Innocents. We took a good look at the Holy family yesterday, and today we hear of the "ancient' widow, Anna, and the return of the family to Nazareth.  Anna spent her days and nights in prayer ad fasting, using the time and the gift of life as a widow to concentrate on drawing closer to God.  She was rewarded by actually seeing the child whom she knew was the One to bring redemption to Israel...and all of us.  How do we fill our days?  With prayer and fasting?  What would we be like if we did...even just a bit?  Would we have a clearer picture of Jesus in our lives, in the hearts of others and amidst our daily busyness?
Then the Family settled eventually in Nazareth, (in Matthew, we read of the sojourn in Egypt first) where Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and touched by the favor of God. A model family,  As an old country saying puts it:  "If there are more mothers like Mary and more fathers like Joseph, there will be more children like Jesus."  Amen!!! (Magnificat, December 2019, p. 446)
Bro Rene