Share the blessings God has given to you

Today the Church commemorates the memory of Saint Joachim and Ana, the parents of the Virgin Mary. According to Holy Tradition, the parents of the Theotokos were elderly and childless, which in the ancient days was considered to be a sign of unrighteousness and punishment by God. They prayed fervently to God that He would allow them to give birth and eventually the Panagia, the All-Holy Virgin Mary was born. The Church celebrated her nativity yesterday.

The Gospel lesson for today is quite telling... Gospel Reading: Luke 8:16-21 (RSV) The Lord said, "No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. Take heed then how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away." Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." But he said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

The Nativity of the Theotokos can be viewed as a lamp being lit. Joachim and Anna had the choice to cover that lamp, by keeping their new daughter “to themselves” or they could share the Light and offer her to God for His glory. They dedicated her to the temple (celebrated November 21^st each year) and God’s Light shined for all the world to see in the eventual birth of our Savior. We should be thankful to Saints Joachim and Anna for their willingness to share the light with the world.

The next time you receive a blessing from God, consider how you can share that blessing as the light of God for others to see His glory. Has God given a talent to you? Offer that talent to God through His Church so others can see His glory. You don’t know when the blessing you are willing to share with others will be to the glory of God.