Mary Letter Day 36 - Second Sunday After Christmas

Thus says the Lord:

Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;

proclaim, give praise, and say,
"Save, O Lord, your people,
the remnant of Israel."

See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame, those with child and
those in labor, together;
a great company, they shall return here.

With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back,

I will let them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;

for I have become a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the coastlands far away;

say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and will keep him as a shepherd a flock."

For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,
and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,

over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;

their life shall become like a watered garden,
and they shall never languish again.

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.

I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

I will give the priests their fill of fatness,
and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,

says the Lord. Jeremiah 31:7-14

Dear Auntie,

We took the child with us to the temple yesterday. He was so good! Despite the crowd and the noise outside, he seemed to feel right at home, smiling at everyone we met. The crowd was very large because of these registration times, so it was packed and dusty. Yet he reached his little hands out to everyone and they gathered around as if he was a very special child. Oh, we know he is, every parent believes that about their baby, but, something is different with this one!

A very unusual thing happened just before we were making our way home. We were resting by the temple steps, having a sip of water, just three of us. The service had been long and are way back was long as well. Two very old people approached us, shouting and carrying on. We were frightened a bit a first. I took the baby and turned away while Joseph talked to the two. Their names were Simeon and Anna, and they had served all their lives in the temple. They were simple servants but loved it. I turned around when I heard them say they had been waiting their whole longs lives for this child. God had promised they would live to see the Messiah! They knew our little boy was the one! We were stunned! They blessed us with prayers and kissed the baby, each taking a turn to hold him. For a moment I feared they would snatch him away! But no, they were so gentle and grateful. They kissed my cheeks and told me what an honor it was to meet me. I felt terrible I had been afraid at first.

Tucking in for the night and trying to take in all that has happened today. Just when I think I have things figured out, something startling and new happens. God is always a surprise, I guess.

love,

Mary

Collect

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen