There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2: 36-38)
As the Year 2024 ends, the earth groans in anticipation of desperately needed hope. Hope for the end of wars - in the Middle East, Ukraine, Syria, Western Sahara Africa, and other parts of the world. Hope for the end of poverty, hunger, and the desperate need for provision. Hope for reconciliation between husbands and wives whose relationships may seem irreparably broken. Hope for our planet and environment that increasingly is ravaged by wildfires; hurricanes, storms, and tornadoes; and bitter cold or hotter temperatures than the world has ever seen. We need hope, as our global societies have never been more divided. Bitter divides separate families and creates discord between brothers and sisters who cannot sit across the dinner table as siblings - let alone share a meal together and carry civilized conversations across political or ideological differences. Our world desperately needs hope.
The birth of Jesus, celebrated during the Advent Season at the coming of Christmas, provides the only hope that prevails over all of the ills of the world. 1 Peter describes faith in Jesus as the “living hope” that might be found through faith in the “resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.” (1 Peter 1:3) I don’t know about you - but that is the kind of hope that I need! Hope that is assured - stable, never failing and permanent!
The Gospel of Luke tells about the birth of Christ - and the verses above tell the story of the widow, Anna, daughter of Penuel, who was waiting for the same kind of hope that we need in the world today. She was waiting for the hope of the Messiah. Anna prayed for it. Anna fasted for it. Day in and day out. Every day and every night. With all of her being, the widow Anna “never left the temple” but committed her entire being to wait for the coming of the Messiah in the person of Christ Jesus. Persistence. Dedication. Perseverance. Anna practiced all of these things in her worship and intercession.
Her fortitude in seeking hope comes from her story of need and desperation for hope.
Commentaries tell us that to be a widow during the time of Jesus’ birth meant often to be neglected and rejected by society. While society might have exploited Anna as a widow, that did not cause her to neglect to be faithful to God in her spiritual diligence. The Gospel of Luke tells us that she was a widow for many decades. After her husband’s death, she committed her life to both prayer and fasting - waiting for the coming of the Messiah who was to come. I believe it was out of Anna’s significant loss and that she was among the ‘least of these’ within society, where she found her strength in worship and diligence in prayer. Her fortitude in seeking hope comes from her story of need and desperation for hope.
My work focuses on Middle East peace. After more than 420 days of desperate war and daily death, violence, and abject suffering in Gaza, Israel, and other parts of the Middle East - hope is desperately needed. After parents, family, and friends of hostages held for more than a year have cried out for their loved ones to be allowed to safely return home - often with no response - or only to receive the news that their beloved has already died - there are not words to describe the personal loss and trauma. The death tolls in Gaza make the devastation hard to fathom, with the number of children killed at more than 17,000 by November 2024. The number killed in the enclave total at least 44,000 people - each and every individual, a beloved child of God.
And what happened when Anna encountered the Messiah when Mary and Joseph appeared carrying the Christ child? She saw hope!
How long, O Lord, must your creation cry out in desperation for the hope of peace to prevail? And do not allow yourself to fall into the false thinking that some “deserved to die” for each and every loss of life - be they soldier or militant - are a child of God - created with imago Dei - the very image of the Creator in their being. War and violence break the heart of God. Justice and righteousness are the foundation of God’s throne (Psalm 89:14). The Middle East - and the world - need the hope of God. Just as Anna did on that day in the courtyard two thousand plus years ago.
And what happened when Anna encountered the Messiah when Mary and Joseph appeared carrying the Christ child? She saw hope! Anna recognized Jesus immediately! She approached them and “gave thanks to God” - speaking about the child to all. The passage implies that Anna told everyone the one who had been promised had arrived! Good news prevails. The Scriptures say Anna went to all who were looking and eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come. She told them, “Your wait is over. Hope has now come.”
May this be the message that we carry with us this Advent Season. The brokenness of the world is not the end of the story - but rather, our Messiah was born on this earth. He came and walked among us. Goodness does prevail - and hope is on the horizon… for Christ has come.
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