Probably Anna

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, February 2nd, 2025:
The Presentation of the Lord

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Luke
2.22-32 

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

I don’t do conspiracies, but I’m starting to think that the Mother of Jesus and Saint Luke are in cahoots about Anna.

Luke is a masterful writer. Scholars continually praise his accuracy for dates, historical figures and events, and the precision with which he identifies locations, especially in his travels with Paul. 

In his account of the presentation of Jesus in the temple, Luke records Simeon’s words at length but tells us very little of what Anna says. Given his skill as a writer, it’s unlikely that Luke simply forgot to ask Mary or failed to remember afterwards. Nor would he deem Anna’s words to be unimportant due to sexism. Luke is always elevating women and underscoring their role in the Kingdom. And so, we are faced with questions: what did Anna say, and why are Mary and Luke playing coy about it.

Sacred artists have grappled with these questions. Anna seems to be a Rorschach test for what an artist thinks is important. Does the artist depict Anna as a key figure or merely a server? One researcher noted that, in the Index of Medieval Art, there is a female figure typically indexed as “probably Anna.”

The Church father Origen is in the dismissive camp. “Anna’s words were nothing remarkable, and of no great note respecting Christ,” he says, implying that she probably just repeated what Simeon said.

But Luke is clear: Anna is a prophetess — in fact, she is the only named prophetess in the New Testament — and simply being pious and old doesn’t merit that title. She is called “prophetess” because she speaks messages from God. Her words are not to be sidelined as the dithering of an old church mama, Origen. 

In sacred art, Anna is often depicted holding a scroll. Again, what the artist chooses to write on her scroll is a clue to what the artist thinks of her. On her scroll has been written, “Blessed is the womb that bore thee”; “This child is set for the fall” (which would be weird because Simeon just said that); “This child created Heaven and Earth”; and “My heart hath rejoiced.”

I imagine a scene: Luke and Mary sit in her home in Ephesus as the Holy Mother recounts the story of Jesus’ presentation in the temple. She describes Anna, her age and the meticulous details of her life, building anticipation about the prophesy she is about to utter. At last Luke, writing tool at the ready, asks Mary, “What did she say?” And Mary gives a knowing smile, and replies, “Oh, just some advice from one widow to another.” Luke waits, expecting more, but Mary gazes off into the distance. And then Luke goes, “Oh, okay, um, then what happened?”

I keep coming back to that wonderful, humble term in the Art Index: “probably Anna.’” I am starting to wonder how much more in the lives of Mary, Jesus, and the Church can be filed under “probably Anna” — perhaps more than we thought. Perhaps we can find some “probably Anna” moments in our own lives, too. What would you paint on her scroll?

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Kate Mosher

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