Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

2 February • Opportunity Cost & Faith: Simeon, Anna, and Waiting for God to Show Up

A Word of Hope

Hello and welcome to A Word of Hope for February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord! Join Fr. Dominic Holtz, O.P., coming to you from Rome, Italy, as he unpacks the profound concept of "opportunity cost" in our faith lives.

Every decision we make comes with an opportunity cost – the good things we aren't doing because we've chosen another path. This can be especially difficult when the good we seek takes a long time to arrive. Father Dominic highlights the perfect examples from today's Gospel: Simeon and Anna. These prophets waited patiently for decades in the temple for the Messiah, enduring immense opportunity costs in their lives, yet greeting the Christ Child with pure joy, devoid of bitterness.

This reflection challenges us to consider the sacrifices we make for our faith – from Lenten disciplines to significant life choices like careers or living arrangements. While these decisions come with their own "opportunity costs," Father Dominic reminds us that we have a crucial advantage that Simeon and Anna did not: the Incarnate Lord is already here! We don't have to wait for Christ's presence; He is actively with us in the Church, through the preaching of His Word, and most profoundly, in the celebration of the Eucharist.

Discover how, for believers, there is ultimately no true opportunity cost, because the ultimate good we seek is already among us, and His promised return is certain. This, brothers and sisters, is our enduring word of hope.

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### ⏰ Timeline

  0:00:00 Welcome & Introduction from Fr. Dominic Holtz in Rome, Italy
  0:00:13 Explaining "Opportunity Cost" in Decision Making
  0:00:37 The Challenge of Long Waits for Good Things
  0:00:55 Simeon and Anna: Examples of Faithful Waiting in the Temple
  0:01:16 Simeon's Joy: "Now, at last, you let your servant go in peace"
  0:01:27 Anna's Long Wait (Over 70 Years) without Bitterness
  0:01:46 Joyful Reception of the Christ Child by Both Prophets
  0:02:02 Our Own Opportunity Costs in Living a Life of Faith
  0:02:21 Small Sacrifices (Lent) vs. Large Sacrifices (Career/Family Choices)
  0:02:44 Giving Up Much While Waiting for Things to Be Set Right
  0:02:50 Our Advantage: Christ is Already Here and Present
  0:03:03 Christ's Presence in the Church, the Word, and the Eucharist
  0:03:18 The Ultimate Hope: No Real Opportunity Cost Because Christ is Present
  0:03:28 Concluding Word of Hope

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