When a peaceful silence enveloped all things and the night reached the middle of its course, your omnipotent word, Lord, came down from heaven, from your royal throne***

First Reading: 1 John 2:12-17

Reading of the first letter of Saint John – 12I write to you, little children: your sins have been forgiven through his name. 13I write to you, fathers: you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young people: you have overcome the evil one. 14I have already written to you, little children: you know the Father. I have written to you, young people: you are strong, the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 15Do not love the world or what is in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the passions of nature, the lust of the eyes, and the ostentation of wealth—comes not from the Father, but from the world. 17Now the world passes away, and its lust also; but he who does the will of God remains forever. - Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: 95(96)

Heaven rejoice and earth exult!

1. O family of nations, give to the Lord, † O nations, give to the Lord power and glory, / give him the glory that is due to his name! – R.

2. Offer a sacrifice in his courts, † worship him in the splendor of holiness, / the whole earth, tremble before him! – R.

3. Publicize among the nations: “The Lord reigns!” † He established the universe unshakable, / and the peoples he judges with justice. – R.

Gospel: Luke 2,36-40

A holy day has shone for us: / Nations, all come and worship the Lord, for today great light has come upon the earth! – R.

Proclamation of the holy Gospel according to Luke – At that time, 36there was also a prophetess, named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser. She was of very advanced age; When she was young, she had been married and lived with her husband for seven years. 37Then she became a widow and was now eighty-four years old. She did not leave the temple, day and night serving God with fasting and prayers. 38Anna arrived at that moment and began praising God and talking about the boy to all who were waiting for the liberation of Jerusalem. 39After they had fulfilled everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to Nazareth, their city. 40The boy grew and became strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was with him. – Word of salvation.

Reflection:

The prophetess Ana is present at the ritual of presenting the Baby Jesus in the temple. Ana and Simeon, both elderly and guided by the Holy Spirit, express humanity's long wait and present themselves as witnesses of the coming of the Liberator. Like Simeon, Anna bursts into praise for God and speaks of the Child “to all those who were waiting for the liberation of Jerusalem”. This city is considered by the evangelist Luke to be the center of the work of salvation. Another typical aspect of Luke is showing the woman's participation in announcing the Gospel. After the ritual, Jesus and his parents return to Nazareth, his city. And then the Boy submits to the natural laws of human growth: “He grew up full of wisdom. And the grace of God was with him.”

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