When faced with the Lord's immense power and might, the proper response is awe and trembling. Isaiah was overwhelmed; Peter recognized his insignificance. But rather than being opposed, fear of the Lord directs us to properly love the Lord, as we seek to conform our life to His beautiful, holy will.

The two elderly saints in today's Gospel, Sts. Simeon and Anna, demonstrate perfectly the importance of perseverance. They prayed for the coming of the Messiah for decades; were faithful to fasting and sacrifice; were vigilant as they looked for Him; and stayed true to their vocations. We, too, are called to persevere in the Christian life, for only those who persevere will be able to win the crown of glory!

The little-known apparition of Our Lady of Buen Suceso, given to a Spanish nun in Ecuador in the early 1600s, is shocking in its predictions of many world events. Our Lady tells of the Dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and Assumption, which would not be revealed for another 200+ years, and speaks about serious corruption in the Church and in the world during the 20th Century. Looking back at this apparition, we can see how it has come true, and how we can respond to Our Lady's warnings and invitations to pray and hope for the Bride of Christ, the Church.