Saints Anne and Joachim

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Happy Feast Day!
Saints Ann and Joachim, parents of the Virgin Mary, at the Golden Gate
Painting by Giotto
“Dear Spouses,
It is through your love that God seeks to realize the power of His Divine Love. The future of the world and of the Church is at stake!”
John Paul II
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Someone just sent me this article that I felt you all might appreciate, if you haven’t already read it. This piece comes from Zenit and was posted yesterday. How timely considering the celebration of Humanae Vitae. I pray that the words from this interview fill you all with hope and encouragement from someone who is suffering the pains of primary infertility and is learning to embrace her cross with hope.
I feel that there are many in the Church that could learn from this article, we all have different crosses in this life, but it is also good to understand what another may be going through.
God bless you,
Hannah’s Tears
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26th July
Ss. Joachim and Anne
parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
protectors of the Carmelite Order
By tradition Joachim and Anne are considered to be the names of the parents of Mary, the Mother of God. We have no historical evidence, however, of any elements of their lives, including their names. Any stories about Mary’s father and mother come to us through legend and tradition. We get the oldest story from a document called the Gospel of James, though in no way should this document be trusted to be factual, historical, or the Word of God. The legend told in this document says that after years of childlessness, an angel appeared to tell Anne and Joachim that they would have a child. Anne promised to dedicate this child to God (much the way that Samuel was dedicated by his mother Hannah). For those who wonder what we can learn from people we know nothing about and how we can honour them, we must focus on why they are honoured by the church. Whatever their names or the facts of their lives, the truth is that it was the parents of Mary who nurtured Mary, taught her, brought her up to be a worthy Mother of God. It was their teaching that led her to respond to God’s request with faith, “Let it be done to me as you will.” It was their example of parenting that Mary must have followed as she brought up her own son, Jesus. It was their faith that laid the foundation of courage and strength that allowed her to stand by the cross as her son was crucified and still believe. Such parents can be examples and models for all parents. Anne (or Ann) is the patron saint of Christian mothers and of women in labour.
Readings:
Jeremiah 7:1-11
Psalm 83(84):3-6, 8, 11
Matthew 13:24-30

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