Mary, the young virgin, and Anna, the old prophetess, are both figures of God’s people awaiting the fulfillment of the divine promise of salvation. Their faith-filled hope, undaunted by all the apparent obstacles to fulfillment, challenges us to live in the same hope as we await the completion of God’s kingdom.

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,

for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord,

all the days of my life,

to savor the sweetness of the Lord,

to behold his temple.

O Lord, hear my voice when I call;

have mercy and answer.

Of you my heart has spoken:

“Seek his face.”

It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;

hide not your face.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.

Hope in the Lord!

Glory to the Father….

Word of God. 2 Chronicles 15:12, 15

They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. All Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and sought him with complete desire, so that he was present to them. And the Lord gave them rest on every side.

The one who seeks, finds. (Mt 7:8)

Canticle of Mary

Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord!/ Look to the Lord in his strength;/ seek to serve him constantly. (1 Chr 16:10-11)

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

[he] has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father…

Intercessions

Let us turn to him whom we seek and pray:

R/You are our hope, O Lord!

You showed in Anna that those who seek you will find you:

– strengthen your people’s commitment to work for the coming of your kingdom. R/

You showed in Anna that the old may see where the young are blind:

– teach your people deepened respect for the wisdom of the aging. R/

You showed in Anna that hope gives birth to joy:

– renew your people in hope for the day of your coming in glory. R/

(Personal intentions)

Our Father….

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant us to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (cf. Rom 15:5-6)