Today, July 26, 2025, we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the revered parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandpare...
Today, July 26, 2025, we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the revered parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. This feast day, along with our readings, invites us to reflect on the themes of Generations, Gratitude, and Gifts.
The First Reading from Sirach beautifully speaks of generations, honoring the great deeds of our ancestors and how their legacy of goodness, faithfulness, and wisdom flows down to their descendants. Saints Joachim and Anne embody this perfectly. Though not much is known about them from Scripture, tradition holds them as righteous and devout parents who raised Mary in faith, thus contributing immeasurably to salvation history. They represent the countless faithful parents and grandparents who, through their quiet lives and steadfast love, transmit the faith from one generation to the next. This reminds us of the profound impact each generation has on the next, and the importance of passing on a legacy of faith.
The Gospel from Matthew speaks to our gratitude. Jesus tells His disciples, "Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." This is a call to profound gratitude for the unique privilege of living in the time of Christ's revelation, and for the grace to recognize and receive Him. For us, this gratitude extends to those who came before us, like Joachim and Anne, who prepared the way and nurtured the spiritual soil for Christ's arrival. We are beneficiaries of their faith and sacrifices, and our response should be one of deep appreciation for the gifts we have received.
Indeed, faith itself is a gift, and the opportunity to know Christ is the greatest gift of all. The very presence of Mary, the Mother of God, is a gift to humanity, and she herself was a gift of Saints Joachim and Anne's fidelity and prayer. The readings highlight the gift of God's Word, and the ability to truly see and hear it. We are called to be grateful for these spiritual gifts, to cultivate them, and to share them with future generations. Just as Joachim and Anne nurtured the gift of Mary, who then bore the ultimate Gift, Jesus, we too are entrusted with the gifts of faith to nurture and share.
May we always remember and honor the generations that precede us, live with heartfelt gratitude for the immense gifts of faith we have received, and strive to be faithful stewards of these gifts for those who will come after us.
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