Today's Gospel December 30, 2020 with the words of Pope Francis

READING OF THE DAY
From the first letter of St. John the apostle
1 Jn 2,12: 17-XNUMX

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven by virtue of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, because you have overcome the Evil One.
I have written to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young people, because you are strong and the word of God remains in you and you have overcome the Evil One. Do not love the world, nor the things of the world! If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life - does not come from the Father, but comes from the world. And the world passes by with its lust; but whoever does God's will remains forever!

GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Luke
Lc 2,36-40

[Mary and Joseph took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.] There was a prophetess, Anna, daughter of Fanuèle, of the tribe of Asher. She was very advanced in age, had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, had since become a widow and was now eighty-four. He never left the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and praying. On arriving at that moment, she too began to praise God and spoke of the child to those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, full of wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
They were certainly elderly, the "old" Simeon and the "prophetess" Anna who was 84 years old. This woman did not hide her age. The Gospel says that they had been waiting for the coming of God every day, with great fidelity, for many years. They really wanted to see it that day, to grasp its signs, to sense its beginning. Perhaps they were also a little resigned, by now, to dying earlier: that long wait continued to occupy their whole life, however, they had no more important commitments than this: waiting for the Lord and praying. Well, when Mary and Joseph came to the temple to fulfill the provisions of the Law, Simeon and Anna moved with enthusiasm, animated by the Holy Spirit (cf. Lk 2,27:11). The weight of age and expectation vanished in a moment. They recognized the Child, and discovered a new strength, for a new task: to give thanks and bear witness for this Sign of God. (General Audience, 2015 March XNUMX