Anna's Story
Children's Story
The story of the presentation of Jesus in the temple is strong on two 'bit-part' characters, Simeon and Anna, both of whom are old, and neither of whom has any other mention in the Bible. This story is an imaginary biography of Anna.
My name is Anna. I'm a very old lady now. I think at my next birthday I shall probably be eighty five, although I'm not sure exactly when I was born. My life now is very quiet. I spend most of my day and night at the temple, and when I'm able, I even sleep in the Courtyard of Women. Sometimes the guards throw me out and I sleep huddled up against the outer walls of the temple, but mostly they're very kind and allow me to melt into the shadows. I guess it's because I've been here so long.
I remember so well the day I came. I was only young. I was married at the age of thirteen or fourteen, I can't quite remember exactly, to Elias. He was a good man, of the tribe of Reuben. Much older than me, of course, but my father Phanuel took great care to choose a man who was kind and considerate, and who would look after me properly. My father was very advanced in his thinking. He always showed me love and affection, and even allowed me a little education. I learned as a child to read our scriptures, although I could seldom get my hands on a scroll. Mostly they were locked away by the priests. Elias encouraged my reading, and sometimes we would read and praise God together.
I wanted so much to give Elias a child, but it wasn't to be. He had no children by his first wife, and as I was young and healthy, it never occurred to me I might have difficulty conceiving. But it wasn't to be, and it seemed God had put his curse on me, for after seven short years of marriage, my beloved Elias suddenly died.
I shall never forget that time. The shock of those cousins of his running into our house and telling me he was dead. I was only twenty years old, and already a widow. I remember so well the wailing of the other women, and the weeks of mourning. And through it all I felt numb, unable to feel. It was as though it was happening to somebody else. Even when the period of mourning was over, I still felt dazed and unreal. And I didn't know what to do. Elias had no brothers who could marry me, and I couldn't return to the tribe of Asher, for I was no longer a young virgin but a mature married woman.
In my hour of need I turned to God. I went to the temple and railed at God. I wept and screamed and beat my breast. I put on sackcloth and poured ashes on my head, but to no avail. God was silent. He never responded.
I think, staying there day after day weeping and crying, I scared the temple authorities at that time, for they kept their distance and mostly tolerated my presence. Perhaps they thought I was mad and they were afraid of the demons within me.
As the years passed, I gradually became calmer. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the temple, God's house. I kept my ears to the ground, and picked up every smidgen of gossip. Once I heard that the Day of the Lord was growing closer. I can't describe the wild excitement which filled me when I heard that. Without knowing what I was doing, I opened my mouth to praise God, and strange words poured out. I had no idea what I was saying, the words came from deep within me and I was powerless to prevent their escape. The people standing by were startled, and soon quite a little crowd had gathered. One man in the crowd cried out: "She's prophesying! Her words come from God!" And after that I was treated with considerable veneration. It happened again and again, this strange prophecy, and I had no control over it. I would simply open my mouth, and the words poured out. I began to wonder whether this was the reason God had kept me barren and caused me so much pain, so that I could prophesy for him.
Now and again Simeon would come into the temple. I'd known Simeon most of my life, we were children together. I think perhaps he came to keep an eye on me, to make sure I was all right. He came one day while I was prophesying. When I'd finished, he seemed to be bathed in a clear white light. His face shone, and he looked up to heaven and spoke the most beautiful words. He said God had given him the interpretation of my words, and that the promised Messiah would soon be amongst us. And he also said that neither he nor I would die until we had seen the Messiah for ourselves. I laughed at him. Who were we, to meet the promised Messiah? Everybody knew he wouldn't come to ordinary people like us! But I was secretly excited by Simeon's words.
After that, I waited and watched every day to see the Messiah, but he never came. I've grown old waiting, and so has Simeon. I think I've spent most of my life waiting for God, but he's never come, and he's never given me what I wanted. I wanted a child, he made me a prophetess. I wanted a home, he made me live in the temple. I wanted happiness, he gave me patience. I wanted words of comfort, he gave me silence.
But today! Somehow today is special. I feel it in my old bones. The very stones of the temple seem to be singing a secret song. There's an air of excitement and expectancy, and dear old Simeon has just come in. I know he feels it too. He hasn't glanced in my direction, but I can feel his mood. Something is going to happen. Could this be the day?
A shabby little family has just come in. They don't have much money, they have only the lesser sacrifice of a couple of turtledoves. But wait! There's something very special about this family. This is it! This is it! I know it, deep within me. I can feel the words rising in my breast, praise God! Praise God, for this is his Messiah! This tiny baby, who has just given me the most beautiful smile - he knows who I am! This baby knows me!
Old Simeon is interpreting my words: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen the salvation which thou has prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to thy people Israel."
To God be the glory! He has given us a Son to redeem Jerusalem! Now indeed Simeon and I can depart in peace, for we have lived for this moment.
My name is Anna. I'm a very old lady now. I think at my next birthday I shall probably be eighty five, although I'm not sure exactly when I was born. My life now is very quiet. I spend most of my day and night at the temple, and when I'm able, I even sleep in the Courtyard of Women. Sometimes the guards throw me out and I sleep huddled up against the outer walls of the temple, but mostly they're very kind and allow me to melt into the shadows. I guess it's because I've been here so long.
I remember so well the day I came. I was only young. I was married at the age of thirteen or fourteen, I can't quite remember exactly, to Elias. He was a good man, of the tribe of Reuben. Much older than me, of course, but my father Phanuel took great care to choose a man who was kind and considerate, and who would look after me properly. My father was very advanced in his thinking. He always showed me love and affection, and even allowed me a little education. I learned as a child to read our scriptures, although I could seldom get my hands on a scroll. Mostly they were locked away by the priests. Elias encouraged my reading, and sometimes we would read and praise God together.
I wanted so much to give Elias a child, but it wasn't to be. He had no children by his first wife, and as I was young and healthy, it never occurred to me I might have difficulty conceiving. But it wasn't to be, and it seemed God had put his curse on me, for after seven short years of marriage, my beloved Elias suddenly died.
I shall never forget that time. The shock of those cousins of his running into our house and telling me he was dead. I was only twenty years old, and already a widow. I remember so well the wailing of the other women, and the weeks of mourning. And through it all I felt numb, unable to feel. It was as though it was happening to somebody else. Even when the period of mourning was over, I still felt dazed and unreal. And I didn't know what to do. Elias had no brothers who could marry me, and I couldn't return to the tribe of Asher, for I was no longer a young virgin but a mature married woman.
In my hour of need I turned to God. I went to the temple and railed at God. I wept and screamed and beat my breast. I put on sackcloth and poured ashes on my head, but to no avail. God was silent. He never responded.
I think, staying there day after day weeping and crying, I scared the temple authorities at that time, for they kept their distance and mostly tolerated my presence. Perhaps they thought I was mad and they were afraid of the demons within me.
As the years passed, I gradually became calmer. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the temple, God's house. I kept my ears to the ground, and picked up every smidgen of gossip. Once I heard that the Day of the Lord was growing closer. I can't describe the wild excitement which filled me when I heard that. Without knowing what I was doing, I opened my mouth to praise God, and strange words poured out. I had no idea what I was saying, the words came from deep within me and I was powerless to prevent their escape. The people standing by were startled, and soon quite a little crowd had gathered. One man in the crowd cried out: "She's prophesying! Her words come from God!" And after that I was treated with considerable veneration. It happened again and again, this strange prophecy, and I had no control over it. I would simply open my mouth, and the words poured out. I began to wonder whether this was the reason God had kept me barren and caused me so much pain, so that I could prophesy for him.
Now and again Simeon would come into the temple. I'd known Simeon most of my life, we were children together. I think perhaps he came to keep an eye on me, to make sure I was all right. He came one day while I was prophesying. When I'd finished, he seemed to be bathed in a clear white light. His face shone, and he looked up to heaven and spoke the most beautiful words. He said God had given him the interpretation of my words, and that the promised Messiah would soon be amongst us. And he also said that neither he nor I would die until we had seen the Messiah for ourselves. I laughed at him. Who were we, to meet the promised Messiah? Everybody knew he wouldn't come to ordinary people like us! But I was secretly excited by Simeon's words.
After that, I waited and watched every day to see the Messiah, but he never came. I've grown old waiting, and so has Simeon. I think I've spent most of my life waiting for God, but he's never come, and he's never given me what I wanted. I wanted a child, he made me a prophetess. I wanted a home, he made me live in the temple. I wanted happiness, he gave me patience. I wanted words of comfort, he gave me silence.
But today! Somehow today is special. I feel it in my old bones. The very stones of the temple seem to be singing a secret song. There's an air of excitement and expectancy, and dear old Simeon has just come in. I know he feels it too. He hasn't glanced in my direction, but I can feel his mood. Something is going to happen. Could this be the day?
A shabby little family has just come in. They don't have much money, they have only the lesser sacrifice of a couple of turtledoves. But wait! There's something very special about this family. This is it! This is it! I know it, deep within me. I can feel the words rising in my breast, praise God! Praise God, for this is his Messiah! This tiny baby, who has just given me the most beautiful smile - he knows who I am! This baby knows me!
Old Simeon is interpreting my words: "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen the salvation which thou has prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to thy people Israel."
To God be the glory! He has given us a Son to redeem Jerusalem! Now indeed Simeon and I can depart in peace, for we have lived for this moment.
