Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Jul 26 - Homily for Today

+ Sts Joachim and Anne were the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus. They were probably well off. Tradition says that Anne was quite elderly when Mary wars born, and that she was their only child. Both Joachim and Anne agreed that Mary would be given to the service of the temple when she was three years old – an ancient and honored tradition of the Jewish religion. Devotion especially to Anne has been popular in the East from the very early days of the Church; widespread devotion in the West began in the 16th century. There are many shrines devoted to St. Anne throughout the world.

The name Anne means “grace.” This corresponds well with the intensity of the devotion that many have for her – she is a quintessential maternal figure – and a grandmotherly one too. She is a great intercessor to her grandson, Jesus, who could hardly refuse anything she might request on our behalf.

St. Joachim thought himself to be punished by God for being childless with his wife Anne, until God granted him this great and awesome privilege late in his life to be the father of the Mother of the Creator! It was his prayers too that proved him to be an outstanding intercessor on behalf of any who need something very special and worthwhile.

St. Anne, St. Joachim, pray for us to be true to the image of Christ your grandson who is being formed within us each day by all the experiences of our lives, joyful and sorrowful as they might be!


They yearned for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested upon them.

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