Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
Luke, the gospel writer, never tires of including women in his narrative. After a shepherd looks for a lost sheep, a housewife searches for a lost coin. Only Luke describes the women of Galilee who accompany Jesus and his disciples. Today’s passage manifests this same sensibility. After Simeon holds the baby Jesus in his arms, Anna sees him and praises God.
But Luke’s purpose is more than showing inclusiveness. By presenting the two elderly Jews, Luke emphasizes that Jesus fulfills Old Testament expectations. He reminds us that Jesus is part of the Jewish nation which God called as a people especially His own. Luke also has a universal purpose in mind. Because of Jesus, God’s people will not be limited to a single nation. Jesus’ disciples will go to all the nations on earth to expand that people.
The Christian impulse is not just to believe in Jesus but to tell others about him. The African-American spiritual Christmas carol “Go Tell It on the Mountain” displays this urge. Being Christian means that we are saved. We should want everyone we care about to experience Jesus’ salvation as well.
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