Posted on 07/26/2010 6:20:45 PM PDT by Salvation
Catherine Fournier
Joachim and Anne were the parents of Mary and the grandparents of Jesus.
The name "Hannah" means grace. In Galilee, where she lived, Mary's mother was probably called "Hannah" even though we know her as Saint Anne. So, if you are named "Hannah" or "Anne" you are named after the mother of Our Blessed Mother.
It was in the womb of Saint Anne that Mary was immaculately conceived. From the first instant of her life, she was in a state of grace and free from all stain of Original Sin. It was her parents, Anne and Joachim that raised her to be faithful to God's word and remain free of sin.
Anne is the patron of Christian mothers, and Joachim the patron of fathers. They were given the great honour and responsibility of raising Mary to be the Mother of God, and can help mothers and fathers today to raise their children to love and follow God too.
Joachim the husband of Saint Anne and the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary, belonged to the tribe of Judah and the house of David. Tradition tells us that he and his wife came from Galilee. They lived in Nazareth and there the Blessed Mother lived.
Anne and Joachim were childless for many years. At the time that they lived, this was considered to be a punishment of God among the Jews. They continued to pray and finally God answered their prayers when the Virgin Mary was born. This was their greatest honour, to be the parent's of Mary, the Mother of God and the Grandparents of Jesus.
The couple offered their little daughter to God in the Temple. As a young girl, she spent time in service to the Temple. working and learning with other girls. But it was problbly her parents who taught her to read, and certainly Joachim and Anne who taught her to love and follow God's word and to know and understand the Scriptures.
When the Angel Gabriel came to her at the Annunciation, Mary knew the prophecies of Jesus' life and death. She knew the full extent of the honour and pain she would experience when she gave her 'fiat.'
Mary loved her mother and father. In this she is a beautiful example for children. Joachim and Anne loved their daughter and followed God's plan in raising her. In this, they are a shining example and intercessors for Christian parents.
Saints Joachim and Anne, both of the tribe of Judah of the royal house of David and venerated by the Church as the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was probably their only child.
There is another Mary mentioned in the Gospels as being the 'sister' of the Mother of God, but this was probably her cousin. Two Marys in one family stretches reason and this was a customary way of designating relatives in the East.
Saint Anne has been honored from early Christian times. Churches were dedicated in her honor, and the Fathers, expecially of the Eastern Churches, loved to speak both of her sanctity and her privileges of being chosen to raise the Mother of God.
Saint Joachim has also been honored from the beginning in the Churches of the East, and since the 6th century, public devotion to him has been observed in all countires. However, we know little about the lives of either Joachim or Anne, since the Gospels are silent on this account.
Some traditions grounded in very old testimonies, tells us that Saints Joachim and Anne in their old age came from Galilee to settle in Jerusalem. As a childless couple, they may have simply wished to spend their old age close to the Temple. But God, in his Wisdom and Mercy, granted them a child, and Mary was born and raised in Jerusalem.
The sainted couple is often depicted with Mary and holding a book of Scriptures, teaching their daughter to read. A church was built in the 4th century, possibly by Saint Helena, on the reputed site of Saint Joachim and Anne's house in Jerusalem.
Lord, God of our fathers, through Saints Joachim and Anne You gave us the Mother of Your Incarnate Son. May their prayers help us to attain the salvation You promised to Your people. Amen.
Today is the Memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
JULY 26.ST. ANNE AND ST. JOACHIM
SAINT ANNE was the spouse of St. Joachim, and was chosen by God to be the mother of Mary, His own Blessed Mother on earth. They were both of the royal house of David, and their lives were wholly occupied in prayer and good works. One thing only was wanting to their unionthey were childless, and this was held as a bitter misfortune among the Jews. At length, when Anne was an aged woman, Mary was born, the fruit rather of grace than of nature, and the child more of God than of man. With the birth of Mary the aged Anne began a new life : she watched her every movement with reverent tenderness, and felt herself hourly sanctified by the presence of her immaculate child. But she had vowed her daughter to God, to God Mary had consecrated herself again, and to Him Anne gave her back. Mary was three years old when Anne and Joachim led her up the Temple steps, saw her pass by herself into the inner sanctuary, and then saw her no more. Thus was Anne left childless in her lone old age, and deprived of her purest earthly joy just when she needed it most. She humbly adored the Divine Will, and began again to watch and pray, till God called her to unending rest with the Father and the Spouse of Mary in the home of Mary's Child.
REFLECTION.St. Anne is glorious among the Saints, hot only as the mother of Mary, but because she gave Mary to God. Learn from her to reverence a divine vocation as the highest privilege, and to sacrifice every natural tie, however holy, at the call of God.
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My dear mother had a special devotion to Mary’s parents.
Thank you, Joachim and Anne, for being excellent role models of faith hope, and love. You show the way for all grandparents.
(My 14th and 15th grandchildren are on the way!)
St. Ann is our parish patron. Father led us in a novena that culminated yesterday with a procession. The 100+ y/o banner of St. Ann processed forward followed by the Daughters of St. Ann (the women’s sodality of which I am VP). We each wore a St. Ann medal around our necks and carried a white rose. To the right of the Sanctuary stood a table on which was an icon of St. Ann and a windowed cross containing a relic. The roses were placed in a vase in front of the icon. Following the Gospel and homily, Father asked the Daughters to stand and dedicate ourselves to the care and protection of St. Ann. It culminated with an open air picnic to celebrate the feast. Flowers were brought to the future church and placed before the beautiful stained glass window of St. Ann which was a gift in memory of the Daughters of St. Ann both living and deceased.
What a lovely celebration of a grand feastday!
That’s great! My 10th is on the way and due around August 19th.
Congratulations!
The more, the merrier!
That sounds like all had a prayerful as well as a good time. The step into the future with your new church is encouraging!
Congratulations.
“Mary was three years old when Anne and Joachim led her up the Temple steps, saw her pass by herself into the inner sanctuary, and then saw her no more.”
Is there an explanation on this?
Presentation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic and Orthodox Caucus]
Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos [Orthodox/Catholic Caucus]
Thanks
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