Good morning ladies. I hope you had a restful night of sleep.
Today's passage on Luke 2: 36-38 and it tells of a woman who lived in the temple from the time she became a widow until she reached the age of 84.

To me, Anna seems to be the first nun in history as a woman who has devoted her life to a lifestyle of worship, fasting and praying. There were priests that lived in the temple but as a woman, it seems to me she was one of a kind.
I've always been intrigued by nuns and the kind of life they lead or I should say, the life they are lead to live. They sacrifice their whole lives to live in a habit. There's something pure and simple about them. They seem otherworldly and removed. There's also something so beautiful about their wholehearted and steadfast devotion. And, there's something about them I want to emulate but I see the deep contrast between what consumes our hearts and minds.
I think the greatest contrast I can relate to is that they have a lifestyle of worshiping and serving God whereas I have my lifestyle and I try to worship and serve God.
Anna was lead to live in the temple and as a prophet, she was able to discern the coming of the Christ. She faithfully proclaimed redemption-true redemption. We each have our calling and I realize that the focal point of our lives should and can be in worshiping, fasting and praying. I may not be a prophet and I don't have to become a nun and I don't have to live in a temple/convent. Jesus said in John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
No matter what we do and no matter where we live and work, let us live a life of worship, let us fast and pray to God our Father.