*Sacred Scripture* Praying Woman – Rembrandt
A Dutch peasant woman prays, with bowed head and folded hands, in this quaint portrait by Rembrandt.
There was a prophetess, Anna
Lk 2:36-40
The Presentation in the Temple.
36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
38And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.m
The Return to Nazareth.
39When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.n
40The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.o
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/2
Reflection on the Painting-Painted in 1631
In our painting by Rembrandt, we see the Prophetess Anna reading Scripture. The letters in the sacred book appear to be in Hebrew, although they cannot be read as a text. It is thought that this painting is a portrait of Rembrandt’s mother. The wrinkled hands are beautifully rendered conveying wisdom and age. The main light falls on the book she is reading and on her wrinkled hand, stressing the importance of Scripture for Rembrandt. The woman’s face remains in the shadows.
It is the age of Anna that makes for a very hopeful reading today. She was found daily in the House of God, praying and speaking prophetically to others about the Lord’s promise to send the Messiah…. She was eighty-four when she finally met Jesus. Advancing in age, dealing with the hardships and disappointments in life, can make people feel cynical towards the Christian faith. Anna’s hope in God and love for Him grew with age! So today’s reading is one of great hope and expectation that God always fulfils His promises towards us.
Saying the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always.
1-A prayer from Raphael the Archangel:
*While you are on this earth, you must praise the Lord God and give him thanks.
2-A prayer from Tobit and Tobias:
*They began to sing hymns of praise, giving thanks for all the mighty deeds God had done while his angel Raphael had been with them.
3-A simple Jesus prayer:
*Lord, Lord, Jesus Christ…Son of God…have mercy on me…Be kind to others…Work Hard…Be joyful.
4-Another prayer:
*When all that God asks of us is to be quiet and keep ourselves at peace-attentive to the secret work He is beginning in our souls-Be Empty and See That I Am God.
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Cor 5:18–19