Check Up on It!

Ah, another subject post heading from my girl, B(eynonce;) Girlfriend rocked it at the Grammys and even pulled out some old school Alanis in her performance (ahem- it was the year of pretending we are in a different decade at that Awards Show this year, apparently. But that is a different post for a different blog which I have actually already written on my popblog when my friend Laura and I attempting live blogging during the Grammys! Also another post for another time: that whole experience! Who knew blogging could be so exhausting??)

Anyways...

What may we be, you ask, checking up on as it were today?

Well, it's the Feast of the Presentation for one! Yeah, that totally snuck up on me too. Whoops! I need like a birthday alarm or a Facebook reminder for Feast Days...can some of you techies work on that for me?

As I was stumbling across some Twitter feeds (LOVE the Twitter. It's kind of a problem) I saw some reflections for this feast. A brief one from Our Sunday Visitor got me thinking because they took the angle of Perseverance.

Now I don't know if you know this, you may not- but perseverance is my middle name people. Oh yes. I may go kicking and screaming, but I persevere, gosh darn it!

Which begs the question- is it perseverance if you are whiny about it? Hmmm...I think we should ask St. Paul that one. He was the king of perseverance and not that he was whiny so much, but he definitely was aware of his faults and made that known. He acknowledged that he had 'thorns' and that he 'did the things he did not want to do' but still wanted to 'run the race' as I have posted as my theme for this blog. (And my LIFE, people. I'll tell you what- it's a race. And I don't run much- especially now on account of the disc- but I pick it up to a jog now and again.)

Anyways, anyways...captain distraction today. I apologize.

The Presentation. Perseverance. "How do they go together, Our Sunday Visitor?", I wondered.

Then I thought of the scene of the Presentation. You've got Mary and Joseph taking the Baby Jesus to the temple. So they are there. You got Simeon and Anna who have been waiting a lonnnnnggggg time to see Jesus.

Okay, so now I'm starting to get it.

Simeon waited faithfully for the promise of the Messiah to be filled. So did Anna. And God rewarded them- albeit YEARS later- by allowing them to be present at this important moment in the Holy Family's life. Okay, so they were definitely... perservant? Not a word. But you know what I mean.

And then there's Mary. She in this passage (Luke 2:22-40, btw) gets the message from Simeon, who re-tweets it from God (see what I did there? ;) that her heart will be pierced by a sword. And so we know that Mary's life will, too, be one of heartache and require perseverance. Probably also could've called it when the Angel Gabriel made his announcement to her.

And of course, Joseph. My friends and I learned on our retreat this past Jan. that he HAD to be patient and compassionate and faithful and trusting with God's plan. And he was the most human of that trio so you know he was persevering for sure!

So I suppose the messages are "good things come to those who wait" a la Simeon and Anna and we are in good company in having to persevere with Mary and Joseph. Of course Christ Himself kept HIS eyes on the Father and His love for us always kept Him going. :)

All of this makes me ask: What kept Simeon and Anna going? What keeps ME going and persevering? What makes me think things are going to be worth the wait?

Maybe the example here that God keeps His promises....just in His own time.

Happy Feast! And let me know if you find one of those Feast Day reminder/timer things. I need at LEAST a few days notice ;)

Peace,
Julia