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I am an old woman. I come here to the temple every day. My name is Anna, of the tribe of Asher. Asher, you wonder? Whoever heard of anyone from the tribe of Asher? When Joshua divided Canaan, the tribe of Asher got its land far in the north. It was a weak tribe, unable to drive out the Phoenicians. In later years some of its cities were given to the king of Tyre. And when Israel fell to Assyria, the ten tribes of the north, including Asher, were scattered in captivity and disappeared from history.

But my ancestors left their inheritance in the north and moved to Judah before the Assyrians came, and ours was not the only family that hated the idolatry of the north and so moved south to Judah where they could worship at the temple in Jerusalem. We kept the records of our genealogy. That was all so many hundreds of years ago.

My father's name is Phanuel, or as we Jews pronounce it, Peniel. You remember the patriarch Jacob who wrestled with the angel of the Lord. Then he changed the name of the place to Peniel, the face of God--for he had seen God face to face and lived. Think of that--to see the face of God! Does that sound funny to you? How can a person see the face of God, who is a Spirit? Remember what the psalm says: "My heart says of You, seek His face. Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide Your face from me."

I have sought the face of God for many years. Do you know what? I have looked into the face of God. I am 84 years old. Years ago I was married, but my husband died after just seven years together. So I have been a widow ever since, with no home but the temple, no family but God's people. I am a prophetess. I fast and pray night and day. In Israel we believe that prayer, fasting and thanksgiving must be given to God by His people. It takes me so close to God that sometimes I can hear Him speak to me. Among the 12 voices of Christmas, I am the Voice of Thanksgiving.

Since I spend almost all my time at the temple, I was there as a matter of course the day that I saw His face. I was standing in the temple courtyard praying. People were coming and going, as they always do. Suddenly I stopped my prayer and turned to one of the gates. Across the courtyard I saw a man and his young wife enter the temple carrying a little baby. That was not so unusual. Couples regularly bring their babies to the temple for dedication.

But as soon as this couple entered the courtyard, an old man approached them. I could see them talking. I began to make my way through the crowd across the portico and up the stairs to the level of the courtyard where the couple stood. The pretty young wife looked at her husband and then held out her child to the old man. He took the baby in his arms and then held him above his head. The old man had a very loud voice. People stopped and stared. By that time I had come close enough to hear him praising God. He said, "Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, a light of revelation to the nations and the glory of Thy people Israel!"

I knew he was right. This baby was God's anointed, the One our people had been waiting for to redeem Jerusalem. The old man finished his prayer and gave the baby back to his mother. They talked. I could not hear it all. Such a look crossed that young mother's face! As soon as the old man finished, I pushed up to the couple. If this was God's anointed, I had to be in on the celebration! Before they could move away, I put my hand on her arm. She smiled and showed me the baby. Ah! I saw the face of God on that child. I raised my hands and opened my mouth in thanksgiving to God for bringing this baby into the world. This child was one for whom the world should be grateful. My thanks were voiced on behalf of all those who look for redemption in Jerusalem. Our redemption had come in this baby. This child was the key to our redemption.

I sang songs of praise from the great singers of Israel. "Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms! Enter His gates with thanksgiving and come into His courts with praise! Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name!" I kissed the girl's cheek. I turned to the crowd. "Today God has brought His redemption to Jerusalem! Hear the word of Jehovah! Give Him thanksgiving, for His mercy endures forever!" I walked all over the courtyard that day, repeating the news again and again--"God has visited His people. He has not hidden His face from them, but the light of His countenance has come to shine on His people." I looked into the face of God. I raised my voice of thanksgiving for all His people to hear.