Saint Joaquim and Saint Anne whose feast we celebrate on 26th July are the maternal grandparents of Jesus. They are parents of Virgin Mother Mary.
Joaquim was a wealthy generous man who supplied sacrificial sheep to the temple in Jerusalem and his wife Anne a pious, devout lady full of compassion. They were childless for a long time and Saint Anne was advanced in age. However, they never lost hope in GOD. Prayed incessantly to God to bless them with a child. It is written in the books that St. Joaquim and St. Anne arrived in the temple to make an offering. But were rejected by a man named Rubim likely a Leviticus priest, because they were childless saying it is not right for you to bring an offering as you have no offspring in Israel. To be childless was a disfavour from God.
Upset, disturbed and distressed, St. Joaquim left the temple to study scriptures and find out if there was anyone else who was childless besides him. He learnt that Abraham was given a child in his old age. He fasted and prayed in the desert for forty-day period beseeching God for a child.
St. Anne too on her part prayed for a gift of child. One day as she was praying an Angel appeared to her saying Anne, Anne the Lord heard your prayers you will conceive and bring forth a child, who will be a proclaimer of the Word.
An angel also appeared to Joaquim and said the Lord heard your prayers, go down as your wife will conceive. Once the baby was born, they named her Mary. And at the age of three she was brought to the temple in fulfillment of their promise to offer this child of theirs to study scriptures, virtues and prayers.
She spent her childhood in learning the will of God and preparing herself for the future. Mother Mary was the only child of St. Anne and St. Joaquim. She was pious, grace filled. The Holy Spirit was continuously guiding her in preparing to take on the mission of God’s legacy. God chose Mother Mary to be the Mother of Jesus from the beginning. All this was happening because God was present with her and she had acknowledged the will of God.
St. Joaquim and Saint Anne are the grand parents of Jesus. And Jesus in turn learnt the basic foundation of religion through Mother Mary’s guidance. She is the foundation of faith and inculcated all the virtues to Him through her guidance. St. Anne and St. Joaquim are the grandparents because they brought forth their only child at their old age and submitted to God to do the will of God in fulfilment of their commitment.
St. Joaquim and St. Anne are honored as they are the earthly grandparents of Jesus. St. Anne is the patron saint of childless people, unmarried women and women in labor. Grandparents too take guidance through her virtues and it was she who mentored Mother Mary.
St. Joaquim who was devout and fulfilled the commitment by gifting their only child in their advanced age. He is the result of determination and compassion.
He is the patron saint of all childless men and grandparents. His name in Hebrew means ‘God Prepares’.
-Rosarito Coelho (Ward 8)