His Word Today: Saints Joachim and Anne

The Education of Mary, Diego Velázquez

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The story of these holy people is not found in the Bible but rather in the apocryphal gospel of James: one of the other ancient documents that recounts details about the life of Jesus.

According to tradition, Saint Anne was born in Bethlehem, and married Joachim of Nazareth, both descendants of David. According to James' account, Joachim is described as a rich and pious man, who regularly gave to the poor and to the synagogue at Sepphoris. Tradition has it that the parents of the Blessed Virgin, who, apparently, first lived in Galilee, came later on to settle in Jerusalem. However, the high priest rejected Joachim and his sacrifice, as their childlessness was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Joachim consequently withdrew to the desert where he fasted and did penance for forty days. Angels then appeared to both Joachim and Anne to promise them a child. Joachim later returned to Jerusalem and embraced Anne at the city gate. There was ancient belief that a child born of an elderly mother who had given up hope of having offspring was destined for great things. Parallels occur in the Old Testament in the case of Hannah, mother of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1-23).

In some Eastern Churches, Saint Joachim's liturgical Memorial is celebrated on a different day, but since 1969, the Roman Catholic Church has celebrated this day as the Memorial of both parents of the Blessed Virgin.

May the prayer of these holy people - the grandparents of Jesus - help us to always come to Jesus, the source of living waters (Jer 2:13), even when we find it most difficult to believe that there is good news to be heard, and to trust that He is at work in and around us, doing wonderful things.

Have a great day.