26 July 2010: Memorial -- Ss Joachim and Ann

Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary received her training to be the Mother of God in the home of Joachim and Ann. Thus devotion to them is an extension of the affection we have always professed toward our Blessed Mother. We, too, owe a debt of gratitude to our parents for their help in our Christian formation. (Fr James Socias, et al [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1585)

St Ann, Mother of Mary Most Holy

The person of St Ann reminds us of Mary’s early home, where she was born, bringing that extraordinary mystery of the Immaculate Conception. She was there surrounded by the love and care of her parents. There she learned from her mother how to be a mother.

Although Mary had given up the idea of motherhood, from the human point of view, the Heavenly Father nonetheless gratified her with the most holy maternity ... In Hebrew, ‘Anna’ means ‘God has given a grace’.

When meditating on this significance of St Ann’s name, St John Damascene exclaimed: “Since it had to be that the virgin Mother of God should be born of Ann, nature did not dare precede the seed of grace; but it remained without its own fruit so that grace might produce its own. ...”

Ref: cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, p270-71

The home of the Blessed Mother’s parents

A very ancient tradition has preserved for us the names of Mary’s parents, who were, “in their time and historical circumstances, a precious fundamental stone in the fulfilment of the salvation of mankind”. (John Paul II, “Address”, 26 July 1983) Through them, the blessing that God promised Abraham and his descendants reached us by their cooperation.

We know the blessed couple by the fruit they gave to humanity: the Virgin Mary.

St Anne conceived her most pure and immaculate. “Oh, most beautiful, most lovable child! Oh, daughter of Adam and Mother of God! Blessed be the womb that bore you! Blessed be the arms that held you, the lips ... privileged to kiss you ...” (St John Damascene, “About the Nativity of the Virgin Mary”, 6)

Saints Joachim and Anne were truly privileged to care for the Mother of God. St Teresa of Avila put the monasteries she founded under the protection of St Joseph and St Anne: “The mercy of God is so great he will never fail to favor the homes of his glorious grandmother.” (cf M Auclair, “Teresa of Avila”, 316)

We can entrust to the parents of Our Lady all our needs, especially regarding the sanctity of our homes. We pray they teach us how to create a human and supernatural tone for our surroundings. Today we ask Saints Joachim and Anne to help us make our Christian homes places where God can easily be found.

John Paul II encourages us to seek our Lady’s intercession: “United together, let us raise our hearts to Mary. Through your mediation, daughter and Mother, show yourself to be the Mother of us all. Offer up our prayer so that Christ, who has become your Son, may kindly accept it.” (John Paul II, “Address”, 10 December 1978)

Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:33-4

Various effects of our Lord’s miracles

The miracles wrought before the eyes of St John’s messengers were almost immediately followed by a double miracle: the deliverance and cure of a possessed man.

“They brought him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him so that he spoke and saw. All the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Can this be the Son of David [the Messiah]?’” (Mt 12:22-3).

Recognize in this possessed man the misery of the Christian in a state of mortal sin -- 1) Possessed by the devil, and will remain in it for all eternity if he dies in his sin.

2) Blind to the horror of his state; and the enormity of his sins and their eternal fatal effects on him.

3) Also dumb -- as to prayer, as to asking counsel; often dumb as to making a sincere confession.

If we have lived -- perhaps, for a long time -- in this state and luckily escaped from it, humbly acknowledge it as a miracle of grace and mercy from Jesus Christ.

The people who were free from prejudice and malice formed a wise judgment concerning our Lord and his actions; but the Scribes and Pharisees, motivated by pride and jealousy, confirmed their hatred of Jesus.

Unable to deny the fact of a double miracle, they attributed it to the devil. “He has Beelzebul; and by the prince of the devils he casts out devils” (Mt 12:24), they said, going against even common sense.

Jesus argued, “If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?” (Mt 12:26)

We have heard the absurd language of those blinded by passion which displays their motives. On the other hand, the calm and dignified language of Jesus simply refuted in a tone of authority the horrible accusation.

May Jesus be our model! If we must justify ourselves, let us do it calmly, not from vanity.

“I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have revealed these things to little ones.” (Lk 10:21) Thus does the Son of God praise the simple faith and humble docility of the people.

But terrible is his language in describing the pride and hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Scribes who taught the people error: “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil?” (Mt 12:34)

To the impenitent cities: “Alas for you, Corozain and Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

"And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be thrown down to hell. For if the miracles done in you had taken place in Sodom, it would still be in existence today. But I tell you it will be more tolerable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” (cf Mt 11:21-4)

We who live amidst abundant grace and means of sanctification must beware not to draw down on ourselves such severe reproaches and terrific threats. We must strive for the humble docility of childhood.

Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp470-72

Our Lady of Faith, at Chancy near Abbeville. This image, having been removed from the oak where it is, into a chapel which was built for it fifty yards off, was miraculously found again in its former place. — Archives of Canchy. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com)

'Notre Dame de la Foi' / Our Lady of Faith. Chancy, Abbeville, France.(www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)

Our Lady of Techwin (Russia). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)