Welcome to Church of the City, New York's Advent Devotionals.

Jesus was good news in the first century, and he is still good news today.

In the Christmas stories recounted in Scripture, people always responded to Jesus with

amazement and praise. This response came from deep longings and heartbreak being met with God breaking in to

fulfill his promises, offer his forgiveness, bring his justice and peace, and extend his love.

This Christmas, we hope you will have your own encounter with the person of Jesus and the

good news of his birth.

And like those of old,

let your song of praise resound to the world around you.

Today's reading comes from Luke 2, 36 to 38. There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel,

of the tribe of Asher.

She was very old. She had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,

and then was a widow until she was 84.

She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.

Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child

to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

In this passage, we learned that Anna has been a widow for many years

and that she has spent her days in the temple fasting and praying.

Anna's life of seclusion, rather than making her

close off to the truth of the world, has opened her eyes to see the very mysteries of God.

Throughout Jesus' life, even as he began teaching and performing miracles, many people failed

to recognize him for who he was. However, when Anna saw the child in Mary's

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